A former Christchurch undercover policeman has been found guilty of threatening to strangle Prime Minister Helen Clark.
A Christchurch District Court jury yesterday took 2 1/2 hours to find Frank Louis Miessen, 47, guilty of making the threat on his Banks Peninsula farm in the presence of the Christchurch police Armed Offenders Squad (AOS).
According to AOS member Senior Sergeant Douglas Parker, Miessen said he would travel to Waimate where Helen Clark was attending a function, use a friend's help to gain access to the Prime Minister, then strangle her and break her neck.
Miessen was bailed for sentencing today on the threatening to kill charge and charges of possessing cannabis and drug utensils.
The threatening to kill charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment.
The normally outspoken Miessen did not want to comment on the verdict yesterday. He referred questions to his lawyer, Nigel Hampton, QC, who also had no comment to make.
In response to the verdict, Helen Clark said: "I wouldn't normally comment on a court case, but in my position one does get people making such threats. The police do take them seriously. They have taken action and I think they will be pleased at the outcome."
The head of the police investigation, Detective Sergeant Wendy Riach, said the verdict reflected well on the professionalism of the police staff who dealt with Miessen on the day the threat was made .
Police charged Miessen after being sent to seize firearms from his property in July last year. AOS members said he made repeated threats and derogatory remarks about individual police officers.
Miessen, who served in the police undercover drug programme, has said it took a "huge human toll on officers".
- NZPA
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