Murder accused had visions, court told

By ALISON HORWOOD

Several months before Hugh Gordon Bryant allegedly murdered one cousin and tried to murder another, he began talking about seeing a faceless devil in a long black coat, a court has been told.

The 23-year-old former boxing champion had been profoundly affected by the death of his father, Francis Bryant, in March 2000, according to written evidence presented to the Masterton District Court yesterday.

His grief was compounded several months later when he found his boss Ron Goodall fatally injured after a work accident.

His behaviour deteriorated so rapidly he was put on anti-psychotic medication at the end of last year.

By then, he was having imaginary conversations with Satan, became infatuated with tarot cards and was nicknamed Smiley because he would smirk to himself for no apparent reason.

Bryant is charged with attempting to murder Lorraine Jessica Lea Tapine, aged 9, between January 15 and 23, this year, and murdering Thomas Lance Dashay Schuman, aged 2, on January 23.

He appeared briefly yesterday at a depositions hearing at the Masterton District Court to determine whether his case will go to trial.

His lawyer Ken Daniels said a plea of not guilty on the grounds of insanity would be offered when Bryant appeared in the Wellington High Court next month.

Until then, he would remain in the custody of a psychiatric facility.

Bryant's mother, Lorraine Bryant, said in her written evidence that all her sons were boxers but Hugh was the most placid.

He won a New Zealand title in 1995.

She said he missed his father and had been profoundly affected by the death of Mr Goodall.

One day after Mr Goodall's death Bryant told his sister Geraldine Bryant that he could "feel a bad evil thing flowing out of him."

Bryant moved out of his family home and in with his aunt and uncle, Lorene Schuman and Owen Tapine, and their four children on January 16 this year.

'I reluctantly let him stay,' said Ms Schuman in her evidence.

Mr Tapine knew he was on medication but felt he could trust him.

Bryant's mother had given Ms Schuman her son's anti-psychotic medication, Risperadone, and told her to make sure he took it.

Ms Schuman said Bryant initially appeared quite normal and would help out around the house. On other occasions, he "would just sit there and run his hands through his hair and smile."

Three days after he moved in she turned her back and heard Thomas, her youngest child, screaming. Bryant denied hitting him and said the boy hit his head on the table.

"It was then that I became concerned," she said.

Sometime between January 19 and 23, Bryant, his cousin Ricky Schuman, aged 13, and another cousin who was visiting, Lorraine Tapine, aged 9, went swimming at the Ruamahunga River.

"[Bryant] grabbed my hand and used it to push Lorraine under the water for ages," said Ricky in written evidence.

Lorraine panicked, scratching both of them, but managed to surface.

On January 23, Lorene Schuman went to run an errand, leaving Bryant, Ricky and Lorraine Tapine in the house.

Two-year-old Thomas Schuman was asleep on his parents' bed but woke up and started crying.

"[The accused] went into the bedroom where Thomas was," said Lorraine Tapine. "After he went in the room there was just silence. Thomas stopped crying."

The little girl tried to check Thomas but Bryant blocked her path and slapped her face, she said.

When Lorene Schuman arrived home, Bryant was back in bed.

"As I walked past the accused he pulled the blankets down and looked at me. He had a really big grin.

"His body was moving like he was laughing but no sounds were coming out. Then he whipped the blankets back over his head."

She found Thomas still warm but not breathing. His lips were grey and his tongue was a strange colour.

Bryant later told police he held the toddler face-down on the mattress.

Thomas was moving too much so Bryant turned him over and held a pillow on his face.

Asked why, Bryant said Thomas threatened him and abused him and "he didn't speak like a child. He spoke like an adult. He came flying at me."