A former diplomat involved in a protracted legal battle with courts and police sent threatening emails to chief judges in which he said they might be assassinated for perceived injustices.
John Colman, 63, of Whangarei, also sent emails to the Governor-General Sir Jerry Mataparae in August 2013 to draw further attention to his plight. His actions led to a police investigation which culminated in conviction in the Whangarei District Court in February this year on a charge of criminal harassment.
Colman pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 12 months' good behaviour bond. He appealed against the conviction and sentence in the High Court at Whangarei but failed to turn up for a hearing yesterday although he had filed full submissions.
His battle with police and courts began after he was convicted and fined $250 for using insulting language in 2008 after he swore at a man he said refused to leave his property.
Colman's appeals were rejected by the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. He has since gone to great lengths, including a hunger strike in May last year, to try and remedy what he saw as great injustice by sending various emails to judges, including the Chief Justice, MPs and to Sir Jerry.
He told a police detective who visited him at his Riverside home last year that he sent the emails only to Sir Jerry and he meant no harm or threat to anyone, according to the police summary of facts.
Following that visit, he sent an email to the heads of court benches and stated: "I genuinely want to (but will not) kill/murder/assassinate you idiots who have completely lost the plot in your collective inability to apply to me the most basic human rights."
Colman called on the judges to "fix the kangaroo court saga or deaths would eventuate", saying his anti-New Zealand family members were ready to kill the judges who he claimed have placed themselves "above the law" and "beneath the radar of the law".
He also singled out a District Court judge who cannot be named, calling him a "liar" who deserved to die for his "judicial hypocrisy".
In the High Court yesterday, Justice Mark Woodford adjourned the matter until 2.15pm to enable court staff to contact Colman. The judge told Crown prosecutor David Stevens who appeared for police that he wouldn't dismiss the appeal due to the non-appearance, because there was uncertainty on whether Colman had received notification of the appeal. He adjourned the case to a date yet to be decided.