It began with a routine speeding ticket in Palmerston North.
The saga, however, ended with 34-year-old Jared Anthony Taylor appearing in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after threatening to kill a police officer and claiming he would demolish a courthouse.
"The charges on the face of it [each carrying a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment] seem very serious," Judge Peter Rollo said.
"But they need to be seen in context."
Crucial to that, the judge said, was that Taylor had suffered a severe brain injury from a vehicle crash.
He had no previous convictions before then, the court heard.
Taylor was pulled over by police and ticketed by a Palmerston North officer, but the defendant vehemently disputed any wrongdoing.
His indignance was clear in court yesterday as the judge outlined the history of the case.
"They’re covering their own lies ... they all just tried to hide it," Taylor interjected.
Judge Rollo stressed he was not dealing with the speeding case, only what happened in the aftermath.
"It’s obviously irritated you," he said.
On September 29, Taylor called the Independent Police Conduct Authority to whom he had made a complaint.
In a voicemail message he said that if the complaint he filed against the officer did not result in the termination of that man’s employment then he would kill him.
Less than a fortnight later the defendant doubled down on his threats.
This time Taylor called 111 and was transferred to police, again voicing his frustration over his speeding ticket. He claimed police had "committed treason". They had three months to evacuate the court and justice buildings or he would "demolish" them.
Counsel Brendon Stephenson said his client had something of a breakdown after the traffic case and now had strong support and planned to see a counsellor.
Judge Rollo gave him a nine-month suspended sentence.
