Gelignite planted ‘as a prank’

Press, 29 April 1989, Page 11

Gelignite planted ‘as a prank’

NZPA-AAP Adelaide A New Zealand fisherman charged with the attempted bombing of a police station last year, planted gelignite on the station’s roof because he was bored, the South Australian Supreme Court heard yesterday.

Richard Thomas Johnson, aged 23, pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening life after allegedly placing 18 sticks of gelignite on the police cellblock at Port Lincoln, on the Eyre Peninsula, on December 21, last year. The Court, hearing sentencing submissions yesterday, was told Johnson telephoned the police and told them to have a look on the roof and “be prepared to die.”

Defence counsel, Mr Chris Ryan, said Johnson

originally had told the police Satan had made him plant the explosives but this was meant as a throw-away line.

Boredom was the real motivation for Johnson who saw his actions as a prank, Mr Ryan said.

Johnson meant no ill will towards the police but was under the influence of alcohol when he decided to perform the bizarre and foolish prank, he said.

Mr Justice Maurice O’Loughlin said Johnson’s actions were perhaps the crassest form of irresponsible behaviour. “This rubbish about Satan is to me another example of his irresponsibility,” his Honour said.

He remanded Johnson in custody to a later date for sentence.