A FATHER who threatened to slaughter a Scottish church congregation and to execute one of its elders because the religious leader had baptised his son is facing a lifelong restriction order.
James Lynn-Wilson was arrested after he gave the Church of Latter Day Saints 48 hours to hand over its former diocesan president Stephen Kerr, or face a massacre.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard Lynn-Wilson was enraged by Mr Kerr, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate for Stirling, over the baptism of Lynn-Wilson’s son into the organisation, also known as the Mormon church.
Lynn-Wilson, 43, pleaded guilty in July to stalking and threatening Mr Kerr, a 56-year-old father-of-four, his family, and church members. Sentence was then deferred for reports, and Lynn- Wilson was remanded in custody.
According to a social worker report, Lynn-Wilson “expressed no regret for these offences and views his actions as justified, and that the victim blessed his son without permission.”
Sheriff Gilchrist recommended Lynn-Wilson’s case is escalated to the High Court, which can impose a lifelong restriction order – reserved for the most serious offenders short of murderers, whose liberty presents a risk to the public at large.
If released by the terms by a parole board, the offender is kept under supervision for the rest of their life.
Lynn-Wilson, from Denny, Stirlingshire, admitted a stalking offence by making the threats.
The court was told there was a “history” of animosity by Lynn- Wilson, who was excommunicated from the Mormon Church in 2004 for “conduct unbecoming” towards Mr Kerr.
On February 16, he began to bombard Mr Kerr’s home in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, with phone calls, despite an interdict preventing him from communicating with any member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, including the Kerr family.
Two days later, Lynn-Wilson phoned Mr Kerr’s home again, and spoke to Mr Kerr’s son Jarred. He mentioned a forthcoming meeting at the Mormon church in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, and made a reference to the Dunblane massacre. Jarred hung up in alarm, and a short time later Lynn-Wilson rang the Church’s Global Security Operations Centre in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Prosecutor Sarah Lumsden told the court: “He said if ‘Brother Kerr’ was not ‘released’ from the Church within 48 hours he would go into a church and execute members.”
The depute fiscal said Lynn- Wilson had stated: “Next step is to be like the Dunblane massacre. Walk into the church and blow people’s heads off. I am going to execute one of your church members.”
He was then arrested.
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