Qld: Gabriel saga enters courts
BRISBANE, April 29 AAP - The saga of a mentally-ill killer who absconded from Queenslandwill enter the courts today with his family poised for a fight.
Claude John Gabriel, 26, escaped from Brisbane's John Oxley psychiatric hospital inNovember last year after being found mentally unfit to stand trial for the stabbing murderof 17-year-old Janaya Clarke in 1998.
He initially fled to Victoria, where police could not return him because of flaws inextradition laws governing psychiatric patients.
Gabriel then went to Italy before settling in New Zealand where some of his family is based.
Gabriel's parents, John Gabriel, 53, and wife Allessandra, 51, will face Western DistrictsMagistrates Court in Brisbane today on charges that they helped their son flee to Victoriaand Italy.
They face maximum fines of $1,200 or up to six months in jail.
Gabriel himself will face a New Zealand court on Wednesday after being arrested inAuckland last week and placed in a secure clinic.
A Queensland detective has been sent to New Zealand to liaise with police over Gabriel'spossible return.
Gabriel's brother Robert told reporters in Auckland the family planned to fight "toothand nail" to keep him in New Zealand for treatment.
Mr Gabriel said the issue of his brother's welfare had become politicised.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said it was appropriate that Gabriel be dealt within Queensland.
"He is our responsibility and we want him back," Mr Beattie said.
However, Mr Beattie said the return of Gabriel to Queensland was unlikely to be clear-cut.
But NZ Justice Minister Phil Goff said last night that Gabriel should be sent home.
"I believe it would be in the best interest of Claude Gabriel to be sent back to where they have been treating him."
AAP pjo/pw/bwl
KEYWORD: GABRIEL 2ND DAYLEAD
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