Wannabe mayor Barber ruled unfit to stand trial
A man who ran for mayor of Palmerston North has been found unfit to stand trial, despite his protests against his diagnosis.
Ross Barber has contested the mayoral chains multiple times, coming dead last in a field of six men in the most recent local body elections last month.
He was also defending himself against a variety of criminal charges, including growing large volumes of cannabis and threatening to kill.
He already has multiple convictions, including for assaulting children.
Judge Gerard Lynch told Barber in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday he had been found unfit to stand trial. The finding came after a hearing in September, where two mental health experts said Barber would not be able to conduct a defence due to mental health issues.
Barber fought to be found fit to stand trial, rejecting the expert findings.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr David Chaplow said Barber suffered health problems after his appendix burst in the mid-1992. He became grandiose afterwards, wanting to rewrite parts of the Bible. Barber suffered from clinical psychosis and delusional disorder, and possibly schizophrenia, Chaplow said.
Clinical psychologist Shelly Lomas said Barber was unwell due to delusional beliefs, such as the court being rigged against him.
The public had some knowledge of Barber’s struggles before the hearing, after the Family Court allowed Stuff to report he had been found unfit to control his assets.
Those details are usually suppressed, but Judge Belinda Pidwell said Barber running for mayor meant the details should be in the open.
Barber, representing himself, told the court on Friday that Chaplow had committed perjury through various statements.
He then went on a rant, after which Lynch said: ‘‘I didn’t understand any of that.’’
Barber was taken from the court by police when he continued making wild remarks, and said he was going to restart a commercial marijuana business.
There will still be a hearing about the charges, with a judge having to decide if Barber was involved.
He will next appear in court later this month.