Sick or twisted? The story of violent offender Anthony Wheble

Anthony John Wheble is not as well-known as many of the criminals previously covered by A Moment in Crime - but he is considered of New Zealand’s most violent criminals.

He has been in prison for more than a decade and he is serving as sentence with no end date, due to the severity and nature of his crimes. 

Wheble has tried to kill two fellow inmates with shanks - one who was confined to a wheelchair at the time with both legs in casts.  

The impression you get from the news stories and from the court decisions published about his years of offending is tha Anthony Wheble is a menace, someone who needs to be locked up for as long as possible.  

But there are people who will tell you that is not the case, that prison is the worst environment for Wheble, that he is unwell and needs a significant level of help.  

In this episode, Anna Leask explores the story of Anthony Wheble - who he is, what he has done and why he may never be released from prison, and speaks to his mum and another of his supporters about their mission to save him.

The series is written and hosted by Leask – who specialises in crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 19 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime.

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