Bizarre performance brings custody remand
File image. © Andrew Bardwell
A man’s bizarre courtroom behaviour has landed him in custody for six weeks awaiting sentencing.
Prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman told the Christchurch District Court that the police believed Simon Richard Hughes would continue to offend.
“I don’t think he should be out in the comunity at the present time,” said the sergeant after 28-year-old Hughes pleaded guilty in a flippant and flamboyant manner to four charges.
The sergeant’s concerns were borne out on Wednesday when Hughes made a similarly bizarre court appearance and was released on bail from the Court House in Durham Street.
Less than two hours later, without even getting out of Durham Street, he was arrested again for disorderly behaviour.
He was brought into court this morning, after lawyer Paul Norcross had struggled to get some legal instructions from him. Hughes appeared to want to plead guilty.
At the first attempt, Hughes asked: “Now, who’s playing the judge?”
He held his fingers out like a pistol, and police removed him from the court when he spat.
He was brought back 30 minutes later, and behaved marginally better after a warning from Judge Brian Callaghan that he would be removed if he did not behave himself.
But he still managed to disrupt proceedings by:
- Speaking in a faux American accent throughout and singing The Star Spangled Banner.
- Draping himself over the front of the dock, sometimes sobbing.
- Making pistol gestures.
- Saying, “So disgraced…so f—–g disgraced.”
- When the forensic psychiatric spoke about his mental illness – which she said was not part of his present behaviour — Hughes shouted: “Oh, whatever. It runs in my family.”
- Saying quietly to himself: “Don’t take it seriously.”
He admitted charges of stealing a plate of salad, disorderly behaviour, and demanding a car from a woman “with menaces” on April 28. He also admitted disorderly behaviour in Durham Street after his release on bail on Wednesday.
Judge Callaghan remanded him in custody for sentencing on June 20, with an assessment for home detention. He noted that he had been told Hughes’ behaviour was not a result of his mental illness.
“Given the nature of your conduct, I agree with Sergeant Berryman that if I give you bail you are only going to reoffend,” said the judge.
Category: Focus
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Connect
Connect with us via: