Police hunt man over theft
AN AIRPORT escapee once cleared of a fatal assault has turned fugitive.
Police have been looking for Kayd Thorp since the start of this month when a warrant was issued for his arrest over burglary and traffic matters.
Thorp, now 35, successfully claimed self-defence in the February 2010 death of Point Lonsdale man Clint Bassett, 40.
Mr Bassett died of head injuries after violence erupted between him, Thorp and another man over a fight between their children at a local primary school.
Mr Bassett was repeatedly struck with a baseball bat after arriving at Thorp’s house and rampaging through the property.
Thorp, who was initially charged with the murder of Mr Bassett, has been involved in plenty of other drama.
In the same year Mr Bassett died, a police officer was put under internal investigation after assaulting him at Geelong police station.
That officer had earlier allegedly been assaulted, spat on and threatened by Thorp outside a hotel in Queenscliff.
“I’ve killed one bloke and I’ll do it again,’’ he allegedly told the cop.
The policeman, whose career was under threat over the confrontation, was eventually allowed to keep his job.
Months after the Bassett incident, Victorian homicide squad detectives travelled to Queensland and arrested Thorp.
They took him to Brisbane Airport to take a flight back to Melbourne but he bolted from the terminal.
After swimming the Brisbane River to escape, Thorp was recaptured soon after in the Manly Hotel where he was found drinking a beer with a woman.
In 2017, he was arrested in a dramatic siege in the Bendigo suburb of Jackass Flat after heavily armed police surrounded a house.
He was later charged with more than 20 offences, including reckless conduct endangering injury, car theft, firearms breaches and not stopping for police.
Thorp is known to frequent Geelong, as well as the Bendigo, Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat areas.
Investigators have released an updated image of him and want anyone who knows his whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.