A psychiatric patient was found unable to conduct a defence against a rape charge yesterday.
Peter Zane Bryers, 33, the subject of a mental disability hearing in the Auckland District Court, was remanded by Judge Michael Lance, QC, to the regional forensic psychiatric service at the Mason Clinic.
Judge Lance found Bryers, facing a retrial, to be disabled.
The court heard of a 40-page business plan Bryers developed in which he sought to be deemed mentally disordered to avoid a trial and claim $3 million for "false detention".
At times two police officers and security staff were in court with Bryers, who was also attended by two Mason Clinic nurses.
In 1996 Bryers pleaded guilty to one charge of rape, resulting in a conviction which was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which took the view that he was disabled.
Bryers spent about 4 1/2 years in prison. He has been detained under the Mental Health Act since 2000.
His lawyer, Paul Chambers, called psychiatrist Dr Mike Louw, who said he had concluded that Bryers was mentally disordered in terms of the Criminal Justice Act.
Bryers, who Dr Louw said was psychotic and out of touch with reality, was unable to follow court proceedings and unable to communicate adequately with counsel to conduct a defence.
Mr Chambers also called Dr Alexander Simpson, the clinical director of the Mason Clinic, who said Bryers had been transferred to the clinic's medium security ward after a relapse.
This included cannabis use and erotomanic delusions - a mistaken belief of romantic association.
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