Bourke Street accused thinks he is messiah, court told
Melbourneâs murder-accused Bourke Street driver James âDimitriousâ Gargasoulas believes he is âthe second coming of Christâ and is mentally unfit to stand trial, a psychiatrist says.
The 28-year-old is facing an investigation hearing in the Victorian Supreme Court to determine if he is fit to stand trial over the 2017 rampage that killed six people, including two children.
Consultant psychiatrist Lester Walton on Wednesday said Gargasoulas is schizophrenic and continues to have delusions.
âHe has cosmological, Aboriginal and religious beliefs that he is the messiah and itâs all mixed up together,â he told the jury.
Dr Walton said Gargasoulas believes âhe is the second coming of Christâ.
One of his letters read by defence barrister Theo Alexander states âto all spiritual people, this is the most important spiritual information as promised by a Jesus in the Holy Bibleâ.
In the same letter, Gargasoulas also says âI was born for a reasonâ, which was to âreveal the truthâ and âhave the scales removed from your eyesâ.
In another letter, the accused refers to himself as âKing James George Gargasoulasâ and âruler of the universeâ.
Dr Walton said the letters are similar to comments Gargasoulas has made about Aboriginal royalty, the illuminati and being the messiah.
âAre these views that you believe he genuinely believes?â Justice Lex Lasry asked.
âYes, Your Honour,â Dr Walton replied.
The psychiatrist also said: âhe has said straightforwardly to me that he is the messiahâ.
Dr Walton told the jury his report on Gargasoulasâ mental state ultimately concludes the 28-year-old is not fit for trial.
Gargasoulas faces six counts of murder and 28 charges of attempted murder over the Bourke Street mall rampage on January 20, 2017, as well as other charges.
The hearing continues.
-AAP








