Forensic psychiatrist reveals Wire Reddington’s mental health issues in Wellington murder trial

Wire Manuel Reddington in the High Court at Wellington where he is defending a charge of murdering his friend, Jamie Gill. Photo / Catherine Hutton

Murder accused Wire Reddington compared himself to Jesus and claimed to have absorbed the hurt and pain of his fellow inmates while being held in custody for the death of Jamie Gill.

Reddington is accused of Gill’s murder near Carterton in June 2023 but his lawyer claims he is innocent and his brother Tipene Reddington is actually to blame.

Defence lawyer Ian Hard told the jury during his opening that the Crown’s case was insufficient to conclude his client’s guilt. But if the jury did think he was guilty, they should consider a possible defence of insanity.

Today, forensic psychiatrist Dr Shanmukh Lokesh gave evidence for Reddington’s defence in the High Court at Wellington.

The trial is in its third week.

The Crown’s case is that Gill died as a result of a fight. On the night of his death, the only people at the rural property were the Reddington brothers, their mother and Gill.

The 32-year-old was allegedly cut and beaten before being strangled and then dragged down the property’s driveway. He was then dumped in a paddock, face down in a ditch and left to suffocate.

Lokesh said Reddington had very little recollection of Gill’s death, other than to tell Tipene that Gill had got into a car with gang members that night.

But Reddington was convinced Gill, who was his friend, was having sexual intercourse with two of his family members - which the trial heard there was no evidence of.

Reddington had Gill’s voice in his head and Gill had spoken about seeing aliens, gangsters and having supernatural powers which reinforced Reddington’s perception of him, Lokesh said. He also spoke about the need to protect his family.

Prior to Gill’s death, Reddington was using methamphetamine daily.

Jamie Gill died on a Carterton property on June 25, 2023. Photo/ Supplied.

“The only way he could function was to use methamphetamine, so the psychosis was there and the methamphetamine made it worse,” Lokesh said.

Lokesh told the court Reddington has been in the care of mental health services for more than a decade, since the first of four serious suicide attempts in 2012.

At that point, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder with concerns about an emerging psychosis.

In 2016, while under the care of the prison forensic team, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The court heard his psychotic symptoms were in remission because he was receiving antipsychotic medication.

Lokesh said it was important to note that Reddington’s emerging psychosis occurred while he was in prison, where he didn’t have access to drugs.

Asked by Hard if Reddington would still be suffering from schizophrenia in 2023, Lokesh said the diagnosis would remain but the symptoms would have been better managed.

Hard also asked what the consequences would be if Reddington was suffering from schizophrenia in 2023 and not being treated with antipsychotic medication.

Lokesh said he expected Reddington’s condition to have deteriorated.

“His psychotic symptoms would have escalated substantially, and Mr Reddington would be using drugs and alcohol to treat his symptoms. And this would put him at high risk to himself because of his untreated symptoms,” he said.

After 2016 he was seen by psychiatrists who regarded Reddington as having some sort of psychotic illness, but the court heard his contact with mental health services was “intermittent”.

Reddington moved back to the Wairarapa in early 2023 but didn’t engage with mental health services or take his medication for about a year before Gill’s death.

Following his arrest for the alleged murder, Reddington was assessed by a psychiatric nurse while in prison custody and was reported to have been experiencing “grandiose ideas” and comparing himself to Jesus.

He claimed to have healed more than 78 inmates saying he could absorb their pain and hurt. He saw visions of his stepfather but didn’t want to be considered “crazy”, Lokesh said.

Lokesh interviewed Reddington after he’d been in custody for six months.

He said he continued to present with low-grade psychotic symptoms but was no longer showing acute symptoms of schizophrenia and had some insight into his mental illness.

Reddington’s background

Lokesh spent six hours interviewing Reddington, who is one of five children. Reddington described his childhood as “rough” and his father treating him like a dog. At 8 he was effectively orphaned when both his parents were jailed.

Upon his mother’s release, she wasn’t keen to look after him as she wanted to use drugs, particularly methamphetamine, Reddington reported.

He lived with his grandmother between the ages of 6 and 12 years and was treated like a slave, he told Lokesh. At 8 years old he was made to look after his 9-month-old brother.

Reddington also reported being exposed to significant trauma including physical and emotional abuse. At school, he was bullied and beaten up by his peers and left school at 15. He had no stable upbringing.

“That would clearly indicate his future as somewhat hopeless,” Lokesh said.

Asked by Hard about the effects of not having a safe haven, Lokesh said the trauma and abuse in Reddington’s young life “had a cumulative effect on his future”.

After leaving school he worked as a stable hand, a farm hand and a fruit picker but hasn’t worked since 2018.

Reddington liked working with horses but he was kicked in the head by a horse in his early 20s. He suffered a second head injury following a later car crash.

Lokesh explained the impact a head injury could have in terms of a schizophrenia diagnosis.

“Somebody who’s already predisposed because they’ve had other issues, significant traumatic issues, head injuries ... leaves the brain vulnerable to further decompensation.”

Reddington also told Lokesh he used drugs, smoking cannabis from the age of 10 and drinking alcohol from 14. At 16 he was drinking alcohol every day, often to the point of passing out.

Reddington reported using drugs and alcohol to numb his emotions and to stop the flashbacks and voices.

“It was the only way he could cope with unpleasant psychotic experiences,” Lokesh explained.

The trial before Justice Jason McHerron continues tomorrow.

Catherine Hutton is an Open Justice reporter, based in Wellington. She has worked as a journalist for 20 years, including at the Waikato Times and RNZ. Most recently she was working as a media advisor at the Ministry of Justice.