Richard Trevor Sivell. Photo: Tony Wall / Stuff
A conspiracy theorist who evaded police for almost two years appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Wednesday afternoon.
Richard Trevor Sivell is charged with threatening to kill former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, among other charges.
He appeared in the Tauranga District Court in April, 2022, and was granted bail. He then failed to appear at his next callover and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Police confirmed to Stuff that Sivell was arrested in Taupo on 9 January. He was granted bail, and his name was suppressed at a subsequent court hearing on 1 May.
Sivell, understood to belong to the common law sheriff movement, appeared in the Tauranga District Court court on Wednesday, representing himself. He faced a new charge of failing to answer to district court bail.
He asked that a document be passed to Judge Paul Geoghegan. The judge read it, and said: "I don't accept documents that are gobbledegook, and yours is."
He asked Sivell if he wanted to make any submissions on continued name suppression. Sivell said he didn't understand.
Stuff asked that name suppression be lifted in the interests of open justice, and because of the fact there was no suppression order in place prior to 1 May.
Judge Geoghegan said because Sivell had provided no basis for continued suppression, it would lapse.
"I suspect Sivell understands perfectly well what it [the suppression] is about - I've explained the nature of a suppression order to him."
At one point, Sivell said: "I haven't received any data according to law. Where is the affidavit saying I threatened to kill someone?"
Sivell also faces charges of obstructing a police officer and failing to assist an officer exercising a search.
He has entered no plea, so the court has deemed it a not guilty plea.
Judge Geoghegan remanded him on bail to a judge-alone trial in October.
At his first court appearance in April, 2022, Sivell refused to stand when Judge Thomas Ingram entered the courtroom.
When his name was called, he said: "I believe you are referring to me," but said he wanted to be referred to as Richard, not by his surname. Judge Ingram refused, saying he would use his surname.
When Sivell said he would not go beyond the public gallery, two police officers and a court security officer forcibly moved him the 10m or so to the dock, at one stage carrying him by his arms and legs. When he continued to resist he was pinned to the ground and handcuffed.
As this was happening, he accused police of assaulting him.
"I'm a man of peace, stop assaulting me, I haven't done anything, I haven't broken the law. You guys are traumatising me again," Sivell said.
It would be almost two years before he appeared in court again.
- Stuff