In the midst of a mental health crisis, a boatie made “deeply offensive remarks” about the synagogue and Jews, before days later attempting to burn down a city hotel room.

Aaron Hugh Ritchie was on a boat off the Coromandel coast when he made numerous calls to the Rescue Co-ordination Centre, making anti-Semitic comments. He added he was surrounded by “hostiles”, before setting off on his life raft and being picked up by police.

He was taken to Waikato Hospital’s Henry Bennett Centre, assessed but released still in a heightened state. Days later, he claims the “Gogdog” told him to start a fire to “smoke the f*****”.

A more sedate Ritchie was in the dock of the Hamilton District Court last week for a sentence indication by Judge Philip Crayton on charges of misuse of a telephone and arson of the hotel, which had 64 guests on that night on February 8 last year.

However, given the time he had already spent in custody, his counsel Rosalind Brown said it was in her client’s best interests to plead guilty, and after conferring with her client, Ritchie did exactly that and was sentenced on the spot.

‘I’m surrounded by hostiles’

It began out at sea.

Ritchie was on his boat, which had broken down just off Great Mercury Island.

At 1.51am on February 3, he used his VHF radio to make a distress call.

Ritchie had also made calls during the preceding days.

He stated that he had been attacked by marina owners and became, what Judge Crayton described as, “highly elevated” and made anti-Semitic comments.

At 2.15am, Ritchie activated the emergency signal on his boat and at 2.47am made a mayday call and let off flares.

He called again at 3.01am, saying he was surrounded by “hostiles” and at 5am deployed his life raft.

But 35 minutes later, Ritchie “broadcasted obscenities” about local residents.

“You were detained by authorities and it’s fair to say that it became evident that you were in a mental health crisis,” Judge Crayton said.

Ritchie was eventually transported to Waikato Hospital’s Henry Bennett Centre, assessed and released.

“I make it clear that it is evident that you were not well when you were released,” the judge said.

“You were clearly a very long way from your home and from your vessel.”

Ritchie then checked into the VR Hotel on Victoria St for two nights from February 7.

On February 8, when there were 64 other guests in the hotel, he piled up scraps of material near the bathroom door in his room at 11pm.

As the fire burned, he barricaded the door and put towels at the base of the door to stop the smoke escaping.

However, due to the limited fuel, the height of the roof and no accelerant being used, the sprinkler system didn’t activate for up to an hour.

At 11.56pm, the private fire alarm system was activated and notified Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

The Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre at Waikato Hospital. Photo / Michael Craig

The sprinklers came on and Ritchie went out to the balcony, climbed over the railing and jumped off the roof on to a nearby van, before walking off before emergency services arrived.

When questioned by police, Ritchie said “Gogdog told me what to do that night”.

“I was told to smoke the f***** out, which I did and killed it.

“I started the fire by setting fire to tea bags and put some rubbish on top of it.”

The fire caused about $170,000 worth of damage.

‘He’s very close to being eligible for parole’

His lawyer said while the incidents were spread out over a few days, it was all connected to the one ongoing mental health episode.

Judge Crayton agreed but said there was a high degree of recklessness.

“The degree of insight here is plainly obvious.

“It’s a hotel, it’s full of people. The intention isn’t there but the recklessness is at a high level.”

Brown said because of the unavailability of several bail addresses, Ritchie had been kept in custody and now he would likely be “very, very close of being eligible for parole”.

She said Ritchie was detained by police for mental health screening but after being assessed, he was “essentially released into the wild with no support, no way to get back to his boat, clearly still in the grips of a mental health episode and here we are”.

“And I agree with that,” the judge said.

Judge Crayton said the use of a butane torch showed “determination to ensure ignition”.

The reports stated Ritchie posed a risk to himself and others when unwell.

“I do make it clear, I do have concerns that there is a greater risk in your instance because in the background you have underlying views and beliefs which you are entitled to hold but they fall outside normal, accepted and pro-social beliefs, including a number of conspiracy theories.”

He was sentenced to two years and 10 months’ jail and ordered to pay reparation of $1000.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 11 years and has been a journalist for 22.