Man threatens Queen

Press, 4 November 1989, Page 6

Man threatens Queen

PA Auckland A 25-year-old Mount Eden man who appeared in the District Court at Auckland yesterday admitted threatening to kill the Queen. Trevor Raymond Burgess, unemployed, pleaded guilty to a charge of sending a letter containing a death threat to the Queen on or about September 20.

The Court was told that Burgess came to the attention of the police last November when he sent a letter to the then Prime Minister, Mr David Lange, expressing a desire to join the Special Air Service In Britain.

Burgess, who stated in his letter he was a schizophrenic. said he wanted to

kill members of the Irish Republican Army. He was spoken to by the police at Auckland Hospital, ,where he was receiving voluntary treatment for his schizophrenia, and warned to stop writing such letters.

The Court was told that Burgess, on or about June 21, posted two letters to the Queen, asking her help in joining the S.A.S.

He also threatened to kill the Queen and another member of the Royal Family. Burgess again wrote to the Queep in. September, repeatingi his S.A.S. request.

The language in the letter had deteriorated considerably, and Burgess threatened to kill the

Queen when she came to New Zealand for the Commonwealth Games, the Court heard.

Questioned by the police, Burgess admitted writing the letters.

He said he had written more than 60 letters to the Queen and the British Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, but had received no replies. Judge Imrie convicted Burgess and remanded him to Mount Eden Prison for a probation report and sentence on November 9.

The Judge said Burgess, who had ■ not . previously appeared in court, could be transferred to Carrington Hospital where he had been receiving medication for his illness.