CityBeat - Te Waha Nui Online

Jamie Lockett - a riddle wrapped in an enigma

jamie-lockett-a-riddle-wrapped-in-an-enigma

by Justin Henehan

Prison is dangerous for Jamie Lockett, alleged terrorist and self-described vicous, dangerous commando in training.

Lockett was badly beaten in Mt Eden prsion while on remand for firearms offences and as the police try to convince the solicitor general to use the new fangled suppression of terrorism legislation on him.

It seems criminals don’t take kindly to people who declare war on New Zealand.

But it’s not the first time Lockett has gotten into a tussle during a brief sojoun in prison. In 2003 Lockett told The Herald about some vicious dangerous commando stuff he’d been caught up in - stuff that sounds more like a cheesy action film than real life.

“He assumed the inmate with the broom was merely there to sweep. Until he snapped off the broom head.

“‘The next minute he’s running at me with this big pole. This guy is a gang member and he comes at me swinging.’”

A black belt in karate, Lockett threw him off, the man attacked again, but with the help of four others. Lockett fought them off, the fight lasting upwards of five minutes.

“He was back in Mt Eden three weeks ago and suffered another “pack attack” - four different men this time.”

A few months earlier, before he was karate chopping prison inmates, Lockett worked as a minder to dodgy property developer Mark Lyon.

Lyon had got a bit friendly with some gangs, like the Hells Angels, who ended up extorting and stealing a whole buch of stuff from him while he was up on drugs and explosives possession charges.

“The property taken was “taxed” by a group of men linked to former Hell’s Angel Petar Vitali, an associate of Lyon. He told the Herald that after he went to the media appealing for Lyon to give himself up while armed police were hunting him, Lyon’s minder Jamie Lockett called and threatened him.”

That was January. Lockett grew bored with threatening gang members, so by March he was suing his old boss Lyon for $2.5 million, including $500,000 in unpaid wages.

Lockett claimed he had gone without remuneration for nearly 4000 hours of ‘minding’. I don’t know what the going rate is for minders, but 4000 hours at $140 an hour is a lot of minding.

He also tried to sue the police to the tune of $100 million for “unlawfully” assisting Lyon evict him from the warehouse he rented from him. Lockett reckons he lost $500,000-worth of property when he was evicted, including sports cars and vintage vehicles.

This guy is way too entertaining to chuck in prison. He should be turned into a TV show.

2 Comments so far

  1. Sean November 11th, 2007 3:05 pm

    Come on give him a break. I knew him years ago in London and though he was a bit of a loose cannon at times he is actually a decent person deep down. He was certainly loyal to his mates and has always loved the limelight especially when its of a dodgy nature. There are plenty of people out there with bi-polar type afflictions doing a hell of a lot worse.

  2. Pierre Freeman November 14th, 2007 11:28 am

    I think the Police have a lot to answer for who on earth thinks kiwi police men need to dress up and play act as terroristic darth vaders like the US SWAT teams are they not principally peace officers however perhaps out of ignorance are acting as policy enforcement agencies ……….. of course Jamie is a character and his life’s story makes a better movie than any cop show currently on tellie!!!
    the New Zealand public are being duped if they believe what the mainstream media is telling them… or is this being played by the politicians whilst they play out problem… reaction…. solution…. to make up what ever fictional lah-lah land acts they call law… well let me tell you if it is a law then why cant they call it LAW instead of act reminds me of the movies!!!!

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