A psychiatric report has been ordered on an 18-year-old who has admitted four assaults on women, ill-treating a pet rat and a puppy, and damaging a bus.
Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish delayed a scheduled sentencing when two additional charges arose, and ordered the psychiatric report under the Criminal Procedures (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act.
The teenager, Logan James Smoor, will be back in court on March 4, and if the report indicates there may be cognitive impairment then it may be delayed again for more psychiatric investigation. He remains on bail.
Judge Farish ordered the report after hearing that a jail sentence was being considered for Smoor.
Smoor had been scheduled for sentencing today on the assault charges, and the ill-treatment of a pet rat, but on Thursday afternoon he was in court for a separate prosecution by the SPCA.
He admitted that in August and September he wilfully ill-treated a six-month-old puppy, causing multiple injuries and failing to provide proper and sufficient food and water. The puppy had to be destroyed to end its suffering.
That hearing was before Judge Tony Couch who said it was “an absolutely appalling case”.
He said: “The seriousness is such it may require some very careful consideration by the judge. I am even considering whether he should be granted bail.”
After that appearance, Judge Couch and Judge Farish discussed the matter in chambers and Judge Couch returned to court to say he understood more about the psychiatric background involved. It was an extremely difficult matter to deal with.
He remanded Smoor on bail overnight.
Defence counsel Tom Stevens told the court today that Smoor’s adopted parents – who were at court – were “desperate to find some meaningful way forward” for him.
Judge Farish noted that the defence had prepared a psychiatric report, which would be made available for the further investigations and for the prosecutors.
She said: “I am not going to send someone of his age to jail because the community can’t provide a secure facility for someone who has developed mental health or behavioural issues. It is not fair to the prison, either, to send someone to them when they don’t adequate facilities.”
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