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WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
Crews outside the Bledisloe St home shortly after the fire.
A man at the centre of a 30-hour standoff with police has been found not fit to stand trial.
Judge Lance Rowe found Paul Kenneth Smith, 63, not fit to enter pleas or stand trial on charges including posting harmful digital communication, arson, possessing an offensive weapon and threatening to kill after the incident that saw more than 80 people evacuated from nearby homes.
The judge’s decision was “largely based” on two medical reports that found Smith suffered from delusions and was mentally impaired.
In the Levin District Court on Monday, Smith was remanded to a forensic unit in Porirua after spending the past 12 months in Manawatū Prison.
He was taken into custody in August 2022 after being dragged out of his burning home on Bledisloe St in Levin.
His mother Vera Smith died in 2017 and he spent four years fighting with his brother Thomas Smith to stay in the house.
WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
The court heard crews were able to contain the fire, which started in the lounge.
But in 2021 a lawyer was appointed executor of his mother’s will and Rowe said this appeared to be the “catalyst” for a number of emails and a letter sent to the man and his colleagues.
In these he alleged his mother was murdered and said anyone going to the property would be “treated as armed”.
Things escalated after a possession order was issued by the High Court.
A bailiff went to the property on August 2, 2022 and Smith came to the front door and told him if he took one step further, “you’re dead”.
Rowe said the bailiff retreated and called 111, and as he left Smith apologised.
Then on August 4 a registrar phoned Smith and after a “lengthy” conversation he asked for her name, to add to his ”list”.
Rowe said Smith made threats against her and a High Court Justice, which were reported to police.
WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
People waited outside their homes for several hours before they were allowed back in.
Later that day he put two LPG bottles against his screen door and turned on the nozzles.
He placed plastic containers on top, which he said contained hydrochloric and nitric acids, and when police arrived he began tipping a container on the ground.
An officer reported hearing the “slushing of liquid” before telling Smith to stop what he was doing and come outside.
Rowe said the officer saw a “thick”, visible, white gas and called to his colleagues to withdraw.
They retreated to put on breathing gear and the “gas cloud” spread across the road.
A detective, who established a “rapport” with Smith, tried negotiating but was unable to convince him to leave the home, Rowe said.
Smith threatened to make “mustard gas” or mix chlorine with brake fluid and said he had booby traps.
Police also discovered Smith obtained an application for nitric acid from a chemical supplier.
Several hours later, officers noticed a fire in the lounge. Crews were able to contain it and, using thermal imaging, saw Smith laying on his bed with his German Shepherd Howie.
He had an air rifle across his legs and at one point patted his dog.
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An officer flipped the gun off Smith’s legs with a pole and a chainsaw was used to cut into the bedroom.
Smith was pulled from the room “barely responding” and taken to hospital. His dog was also recovered and had since been rehomed.
Rowe said the firearm was found “cocked and loaded” and an LPG bottle was also connected to a cooker, which was in the “on” position.
He was satisfied from the evidence that Smith was responsible for the acts that brought on the charges, and because of this a disposition hearing would be held in September.
Smith told the court he had suffered from a stroke and brain bleeds while in prison.
He said he was struggling to get medical treatment and hoped one day to be able to see his dog again.
Before he was led away, he said: “Will I get the help I need? That’s all I want.”
The house was sold at auction in May for $276,000.
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