No appeal for ex-cop who threatened to kill PM

A former undercover policeman convicted of threatening to kill Prime Minister Helen Clark today had his final avenue of appeal shut down.

Frank Louis Miessen was found guilty in Christchurch District Court in 2005 of threatening to kill Miss Clark.

He was convicted and released on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

The Court of Appeal in July dismissed his appeal and the Supreme Court today dismissed his application to appeal to it.

The conviction came after Miessen told a police psychiatrist in July 2004 that he had firearms and had considered "doing something" to Miss Clark.

The psychiatrist reported the remarks and an armed offenders squad searched Miessen's Banks Peninsula farm, seizing his guns.

During that operation, Miessen said a number of times that he wanted to strangle the prime minister and break her neck, according to police.

Miessen had wanted the Supreme Court to hear his appeal mainly on the grounds of the way his lawyer conducted his trial.

The Supreme Court dismissed his application saying the fact Miessen would not waive lawyer-client privilege meant the lawyer could not defend himself.

- NZPA