BY OLIVIA DILLON
A judge has found the man who fatally stabbed well-known Shortland local Robert "Bobby" Palmer outside a service station did not know what he was doing when he committed the act.
Justice Stephen Campbell found this morning Zach Mavin had "no appreciation of the wrongfulness of his actions" on the night of December 12th 2020.
Mr Mavin stabbed Mr Palmer once in the abdomen, after demanding cash and cigarettes from a service station attendant on Sandgate Road.
Justice Campbell has delivered special verdicts of "act proven but not criminally responsible" to the charges of attempted armed robbery and murder.
It means Mr Mavin will be referred to the Mental Health Review Tribunal and detained as a forensic patient until it's determined his release is unlikely to endanger himself or anyone in the community.
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| Image: Newcastle Herald |
