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Offender Databases Shawn Ridley

Shawn David Ridley

Alias

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Offences

Aggravated burglary and wounding of a 68 year old American backpacker with intent to facilitate a crime near Punakaiki in March 2004

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1980

Current Location

Unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 10 years with a 6 year minimum non-parole period in September 2004
Reduced to 8 years with a 5 year minimum non-parole period in June 2005
Expected to have already been released

Background
Denied early release March 2009 - successfully appealed sentence in June 2005
Court of Appeal GBH sentencing guideline judgment here (PDF)

From the Press (Christchurch) Sept 18th 2004
An elderly American tourist was severely maimed in an inexplicably savage knife attack in a West Coast backpackers' hostel. His assailant, 24-year-old Shaun David Ridley, was yesterday jailed for 10 years with a minimum non-parole period of six years by Christchurch District Court Judge Stephen Erber. The judge said the case involved extreme violence which could have been murder or serious manslaughter had the victim died. Ridley admitted charges of wounding with intent to facilitate a crime, and aggravated burglary. "The offending was very grave and your culpability total," the judge said. It was an extraordinarily savage attack, motivated by greed or irrational rage, he said.

Ridley, the victim, a 68-year-old professor from the United States, and the victim's wife were all staying in the backpackers' hostel near Punakaiki on March 3. Ridley saw the couple leave for an evening walk and, taking a steak knife, got into their room through a window and began rifling through their belongings. But the victim returned unexpectedly. Ridley stabbed him in the shoulder, causing him to fall, then shut the door, and stabbed him repeatedly in the chest and hands. In an attempt to fend off the attack the victim's index finger was almost severed. Ridley then tried to stab him in the eyes and the victim suffered several heavy gashes to the face in the process, the knife snapping on one of the blows. It appeared the victim then lost consciousness but two other tenants, hearing the commotion, broke in and prevented further injury.

The victim, a previously fit and active senior athlete, suffered from a useless left shoulder, damaged left hand, and badly scarred face, according to a report obtained in May, the judge said. His confidence had also been knocked, and he could not cycle, climb, swim or perform some types of ordinary household duties. "He says he is a shell of his former self, and he is not the only victim. His wife is one as well. You can imagine the horror of his wife when she got back to the hotel." While Ridley had suffered mental-health problems and it was now thought he was schizophrenic, a psychiatric report said he was not insane at the time of the events, although his mental health may have contributed. A probation report said the motive seemed to be revenge for a perceived slight and that Ridley still thought the victim contributed in some way, the judge said.

Counsel Hugh Bodle said there had been prior indications of a deteriorating mental state which if acted on, could have prevented the events, and there was possible early onset of schizophrenia happening at the time. Ridley was at a loss to explain the attack, but clearly his mental state played a role. The pleas of guilty came as a great relief to the victim and his wife, who were able to return promptly to the United States. Ridley co-operated well with the police, Bodle said. The judge said he took into account Ridley's mental state in setting a jail term, and his guilty pleas were significantly mitigating. He also did not overlook the potential effects on New Zealand as a tourist destination. Ridley had to be held accountable and protection of the community was a factor, as well as denunciation and deterrence. He would start at 14 years, the maximum possible, but would allow four years off for guilty pleas and mental health issues.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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