'Violent’ videos blamed for youth’s siege

Press, 11 September 1986, Page 30

'Violent’ videos blamed for youth’s siege

PA Napier Violent videos had influenced a youth who fired at the police, forestry workers, and buildings in a five-hour siege in the Gwavas Forest in July, the High Court at Napier has heard. Jamie Thomas Kelly, aged 18, a forestry worker, was sentenced to six years jail for attempted murder, and concurrent terms of four yeant jail for intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two years for using

a firearm to prevent his arrest, two years for recklessly discharging a firearm, and one year’s jail for burglary. The Crown prosecutor, Mr Geoff Rea, said that about 10 a.m. on July 22 Kelly made a will and told a friend to call the police in 30 minutes because he was going to start shooting up the camp. Kelly stole a .22 semiautomatic rifle and'barricaded himself irr his room, Mr Rea said.

Counsel, Mr Russell Fairbrother, said Kelly had been watching videos of paramilitary individuals who achieved their ends by violent and spectacular means. Kelly did not have'the skills to cope independently in society and continued to be a suicide risk, Mr Fairbrother said. For more than five hours Kelly held siege and exposed several people to death or serious injury, said Mr Justice Eichelbaum.