Psych hearing begins for man who claimed to be God
The process has begun for a psychiatric discharge for a 21-year-old man who fought with a police dog and handler when he was arrested and later announced in court that he was God.
A hearing today under the Criminal Procedures (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act, established what happened on the early morning of August 23.
The man, who has continued name suppression, was then remanded on bail for a second health assessor’s report by a psychiatrist, and for another Christchurch District Court appearance to decide how the case should be disposed of.
Judge John Strettell had received the psychologist’s report prepared for today’s hearing which indicated that the man did have an insanity defence. Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman said the police accepted the report’s findings.
The judge remanded the man until December 11 for the next part of the discharge process.
Defence counsel Colin Eason said it was accepted that the police’s summary of facts set out the events of the early morning when the man was arrested.
The man went to Sir James Wattie Drive in Christchurch where several industrial buildings are under construction.
He entered one building, removed his clothes and put on overalls and a high-visibility jacket.
He ran away when he was challenged by a staff member, and went to another commercial property nearby.
A police dog and handler found him there, but he ran away again.
The dog, Quinn, caught him and he then began to fight with the dog to try to break free. He tried to gouge the dog’s eyes and choke him. The handler used pepperspray but it had no effect.
The handler then tried to subdue the man but he was punched and kicked as the man tried to get away.
The dog Quinn then re-entered the struggle and the man again tried to gouge his eyes and break his leg.
The handler then managed to subdue him until other police arrived. Quinn received minor bruising and abrasions to his leg and eyes. The officer received minor bruising and an abrasion.
When the man was brought before the court on August 24, he denied that he was the person named in the charges and said, “I am God.”
At that point he was remanded in custody for a psychological assessment and was released on bail two weeks later.
The man faces charges of attempting to intentionally injure the police dog, assaulting the dog handler with intent to avoid arrest for being unlawfully in a building, remaining in a building without authority, and being found without reasonable excuse in a building.
Category: News
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