Youth who threw CCTV screen at judge 'believes he can fly' and 'see through walls': court hears

Youth who threw CCTV screen at judge ‘believes he can fly’ and ‘see through walls’: court hears

by | Aug 5, 2020 | Cops | 0 comments

The youth who smashed a CCTV screen and threw part of it at a judge may be suffering from a rare condition which leads him to believe he “can fly” and “see through walls” as well as having graphic violent fantasies, a court heard.

Further details have been revealed of the bizarre incident on July 1 when the teen was in Darwin Supreme Court facing aggravated robbery charges.

The youth threatened to harm Justice Stephen Southwood, saying “I’m going to hurt you if you don’t sentence me, sir” before hurling part of the monitor at the judge and wrestling with security, eventually being restrained.

The court heard the 16-year-old, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years imprisonment for the robbery and a further nine months for contempt of court, may be suffering from a rare condition known as Ganser syndrome.

He was referred to a clinical physiologist after displaying a range of unusual behaviours including “talking about how he can fly”, “talking about how he can see through walls” and “lecturing (corrections) staff on religion, saying how he is God-like and can do black magic”.

The youth also gave graphic descriptions to corrections staff about how he would like to hurt others, including “chopping someone’s head off with a samurai sword” and “slitting someone’s throat, all while smiling”.

A psychiatric registrar at the Royal Darwin Hospital diagnosed the youth with possible Ganser syndrome, however a further assessment conducted by a clinical physiologist was unable to come to a conclusion.

Ganser syndrome is a rare type of condition where a person deliberately and consciously acts as if they have a physical or mental illness when they are not really sick.

People with Ganser syndrome generally mimic behaviour that is typical of a mental illness, such as schizophrenia.

Youth originally in court for robbing Bagot Rd United petrol station with claw hammer

The youth was in court for robbing the United petrol station on Bagot Road armed with a claw hammer on November 24 last year.

Committing the robbery with three other co-offenders, the quartet made off with $484 in cash before the youth was arrested.

Justice Southwood said the teen was “clearly a high-risk youth with complex needs”.

“It is understandable that the youth found these (court) proceedings frustrating,” he said.

“However, the youth has behaved in such a way, while in detention and subject to a good behaviour bond, that it merits appropriate punishment.

“It is an extremely serious matter for an offender, whether a youth or an adult, to threaten the presiding judge with harm and to throw an object at the judge, and then attempt to leave the dock.”

The youth will be eligible for parole in two years.

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