Here is a list of what he is wearing:
1 Australian Defence Medal
2 NZ Operational Service
3 UK Gulf War Medal 1991
4 UN Protection Force Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR)
1994
5 NATO Medal (Former Yugoslavia)
6 NZ Territorial Efficiency Medal
7 NZ General Service Peacekeeping
8 Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait issue)
9 Liberation of Kuwait Medal 1991 (Saudi
Arabia issue)
The Gulf War was from August 1990 until September
1991. Priest constantly claims to have served in the
Gulf War and wears the UK Gulf War Medal 1991 to
prove it. We have a Statutory Declaration declaring
that Priest was in New Zealand for the whole of that
time and 1991 stands out because it was the year his
daughter was born.
One of our many New Zealand contributors have
advised that Priest is wearing a “Staggering “hotch
potch” of medals that are totally out of "logical
sequence”. In addition we are advised that no New
Zealand soldiers received both Kuwait Liberation
Medal (Kuwait issue) and the Liberation of Kuwait
Medal 1991 (Saudi Arabia issue). It was either one
or the other.
Dominic Charles Priest often wears a leather jerkin
that contains lots of militaria purporting to relate
to his Military service.
*Starting at the top...
1. Australian issue SAS shoulder title.
2. NZ issue black and silver cloth shoulder
title.
3. (possibly) a 3rd Auckland/North collar
dog.
4. NZ issue Infantry collar dog (anodised).
5. SAS issue collar dog (brass).
6. UNIDENTIFIED. The "inverted" cross type
badge is not identified.
7. A gold/silver wire embroidered NZ Infantry
blazer pocket.
8. UNIDENTIFIED. Australian pattern cap
badge.
Where did all the glorious medals and baubles come
from? Well like all hard core liars frauds and
wannabes will say, they came from the elite Special
Air Service (SAS). According to Priest service with
NZ SAS cannot be traced - Wrong
Working against Priest are three factors:
1. The NZ Army is small and the
elite SAS element of the Army is very small, and
guess what? Once you have served with the SAS you
are known by your peers. Priest is not known in
any way by the NZ SAS and he has never
applied for membership to the SAS Association.
2. The Veterans Affairs New
Zealand (VANZ) have no record of Priest ever
serving with SAS and do not hold a medical file
for him. Had he served in five SAS Operations
as he claims he would be well known at VANZ.
3. Civilians have provided
Statutory Declarations declaring that Priest was
in New Zealand from 1990 until he and his family
moved to Perth Western Australia in 1996. It is
further declared that at no time during those
years was Priest deployed on overseas military
operations.
.
Like many disgusting lying wannabes Priest has added
a bit of spice to his war stories and one claim is
that:
“He and his NZ SAS patrol killed Iraqi Prisoners
of War (POW).”
In
2008 Priest was required to make a legal statement
in relation to a personal matter.
Note that Priest declares in the statement that he
has “done five overseas tours with the Army and
have operated as a patrol medic”
In
the interest of natural justice we sent Priest a
letter requesting he provide evidence of his NZ
service. When cornered wannabes either threaten
legal action and physical retribution or come the
“Sorry poor me” defence, Priest chose the latter,
confessed his long term immoral subterfuge and
believes that Veterans will give him absolution. Be
advised Priest that your tactics don’t wash.
Below is Priest's response to our polite letter
requesting evidence of his service. (Parts of his
letter have been expunged)
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 2:04 AM
Subject: Att.
Mr
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx
ANZMI
Dear Sir,
I received your letter, dated the 28th February,
today. And it is with some relief this can be
resolved. I do admit to claiming to be a member
of the SAS and wearing of unintitled medals. To
my defence if any that when the incidents
originally occurred I was under great
psychological stress and at times I had short
term psychotic episodes after having just
suffered my first epileptic seizure and my
subsequent battle with the military to remain in
the Infantry as a 44yr old LCPL trying hard to
do the job he loved regardless of age, so things
got a bit loopy and then when I’d got back to
normal after the medication stabilised to an
acceptable level, I’d realised what had been
done and stopped all reference to it and any
materials used have long since been destroyed or
thrown out. Since then I have been medically
discharged as a PTE losing my rank as a result
of the medical ruling and the reason for
discharge was epilepsy non compensatible so I
have been in and out of doctors and specialists
trying hard to survive
So
as I’ve explained I really don’t think too much
damage has been done and all this would accomplish
would be to impose a fine on me which we wouldn’t be
able to pay, and to embarrass (censored) hinder any
employment opportunities as I am applying for the
prison service as they seem to be the only employer
that may cater for my disability.
If
you could consider refraining from continuing on
with any further investigations rest assured there
will be no reason for you to be looking in my
direction again I think Karma has a way of catching
up on us all and it has seemed to come down on me in
spades, my life is in ruins at the moment, please
don’t be one more to put the knife in no matter how
much I may deserve it.
Personally I am deeply sorry for any lack of respect
I have shown to any; Fallen, Returned and Serving
members of both the New Zealand and Australian
Infantry Regiments and this completely out of
character to a man who has served proudly in both
the RNZIR and RAR and of all people I should have
had the inner strength to overcome lying of all
things. I have never used any of these references to
further myself in any way, I just wasn’t myself
there for a while. Again, with my deepest
apology
Dominic Priest
82
Glenlyon Drive, Wulguru;
Townsville;
Qld 4811, Australia;
nicpadre@bigpond.net.au
0435058593
Priest is not being honest, we hold Statutory
Declarations that Priest suffered drug induced
epilepsy prior to his enlistment into the Australian
Army as a result of an addiction to the illicit drug
“Speed”. Priest claims to have developed epilepsy
during his Australian Military service. The truth is
that he failed to advise the enlistment people that
he had suffered drug induced seizures long before he
enlisted into the Australian Army.
Priest claims that he went off the “rails” after he
enlisted in the Australian Army in 2003. That is a
lie. He has been wearing the vest and medals shown
in our photographs since the mid 1990s.
Priest says in his plea. “I’d realised what had
been done and stopped all reference to it and any
materials used have long since been destroyed or
thrown out!" We know that he was clinging to his
wannabe life right up to the time he received our
letter and would have fronted up on ANZAC Day this
year wearing his false medals in the same way that
he did last year.
Veterans do not accept Priest’s “apology” and see it
only as a tactic to save himself from embarrassment.
He has for many years bathed in the kudos from his
false claims and will now have to accept the equal
and opposite effect our exposure will deliver to
him. Prominent New Zealand veterans have said that
whilst they have a different attitude towards self
purchased commemorative medals they will not
tolerate wannabes wearing false campaign medals.
Priest is culpable under both Australian and New
Zealand law. In Australia the Defence act 1903
describes fines of up to $3,300 and six months jail
or both. New Zealand law describes fines of up to
$500. We have shown details of the Australian
Defence Act 1903 on numerous occasions, now here is
the New Zealand legislation:
46
Military Decorations and Distinctive Badges Act 1918
amended
·
(1) The Military Decorations and Distinctive Badges
Act 1918 is hereby amended by inserting, after
section 4, the following section:
“4A Offences in respect of military decorations
o “(1) In this section, the term military
decoration means any medal, clasp, badge, ribbon,
stripe, emblem, or decoration issued, supplied, or
authorised, or purporting or reputed to be issued,
supplied, or authorised, by a naval, military, or
air force authority, whether in New Zealand or in
any other Commonwealth country; but does not include
an ordinary regimental badge or any brooch or
ornament representing such a badge.
“(2) Every person commits an offence and is liable
on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $500—
§ “(a) Who represents himself, contrary to
the fact, to be a person who is or has been entitled
to wear or use any military decoration; or
§ “(b) Who wears or uses any medal, clasp,
badge, ribbon, stripe, emblem, or decoration that is
intended or is likely, by reason of its appearance
or in any other manner, to cause any person to
believe, contrary to the fact, that it is a military
decoration; or
§ “(c) Who, without reasonable excuse,
supplies or offers to supply—
§ “(i) Any military decoration; or
§ “(ii) Any medal, clasp, badge, ribbon,
stripe, emblem, or decoration that is intended or is
likely, by reason of its appearance or in any other
manner, to cause any person to believe, contrary to
the fact, that it is a military decoration—
to
any person who is not authorised to wear or use that
military decoration.
“(3) In a prosecution under this section, the burden
of proving that any person is authorised to wear or
use any military decoration shall be on the
defendant.
We
don’t know about New Zealand, but we do know that
Australian Federal Police are not interested in
applying this law. Veterans believe it is an insult
to all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice or
have been damaged by war. In an unusual move
recently Victorian State Police put before the
courts Colin Maurice Gibbons (see our site entry)
who was found guilty of wearing illegal medals and
accoutrements and sentenced to four months
imprisonment – with 14 days to serve – and a twelve
month recognizance clause.
Northern Territory State Police charged another of
our “Stars” Jooitsen “Dutchy” Van Assen, who
appeared before a Magistrate and was found guilty,
given a two year good behaviour bond and fined
$1,000.
We
hope these recent convictions are an emerging trend.
Priest claims to have long since “got rid” of his
false medals and accoutrements. We know that is a
lie. If he has got rid of them it has only been
since he received our letter dated 28 Feb 2010.
Veterans from both sides of the Tasman Sea will be
watching out for him, especially on days of
commemoration.
13th
May 2010
Update Dominic Priest aka "Padre"
Priest has penned emails to us, firstly with
apologies and then threats of legal retribution. In
addition he has authored a long confession on a
“Facebook” web site, only problem is, we believe he
is still telling lies in that he claims to have:
Successfully completed the New Zealand SAS selection
course.
We
are reliably advised that Priest is not registered
as ever having attended this course
Aged eighteen years old was seconded the the South
African Defence Force where he killed Mass amounts
of Skinnys (by
that term we assume he means people native to
Africa).
In
another version he claims in his own words;
“I
have seen active service with the South African
Defence Force when I was seconded to a unit over
there in 1984 where my brother in law was KIA. We
were to be awarded medals for our service there but
due to political circumstances they were never
issued, maybe that’s why I tried to take credit for
actions others had done in later conflicts that I
missed out on”.
We
believe this to be more garbage as it is most
unlikely that the New Zealand Government would
second an eighteen year old soldier to see action
with the South African Defence Force.
This was another lie he told to a fellow Australian
soldier:
Served in the Falklands war where he sustained
shrapnel wounds to his knee.
We
are advised that whilst serving in Townsville he:
"Wore New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS)
wings sewn to his shirt on official unit parades".
"Wore New Zealand false war ribbons whilst in
Australian Army uniform".
Shown below are statements from Priest.
Received 6th April 2010
(Extract)
“Firstly, on my vest, It is a brass RAR shoulder
title issued to myself not Australian SAS
someone needs glasses or maybe you Redneck
pouges just don’t read to good, New Zealand
shoulder board again issued, RAR collar Dog
issued, RNZIR collar dog issued, SAS collar dog
given to me by a friend in the NZSAS, all others
are as identified. As stated before I am deeply
ashamed of how I have acted but you have taken
as fact written declarations from”
Received 7th April 2010
“----- Original Message -----
From: Padre
To:
information@anzmi.net
Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 5:52 AM
Subject: Pending court case
It
is a day since my last email to you and I see the
defamatory article is still on your web site you
have had your chance you will now be contacted by my
lawyers as the article as well as invading personal
privacy for myself and my family, thereby
endangering them, you have also published parts of a
police report that is part of a current criminal
investigation against the trusted source of your
statutory declaration. You really should research
your cases better.
Sincerely,
Dominic Priest.”
Received 11 April 2010
PriestApril 11, 2010 at 5:05am
(no subject)
This is a form letter to all who I’ve lied to over
the years, an apology for my deceptions but in no
way a begging letter to ask for your forgiveness.
But I will explain some of my actions and defend
some of the lies that are also being printed about
me on the anzmi site.
To
set matters straight as stated in my reply to the
site as to why it happened that’s how it was and it
just got away from me, I did do and pass the NZSAS
selection course but had to retire from the cycle
due to injuries and subsequently retired from the
regular NZ army to take up a posting in the 2nd Bn
RNZIR recon PL Territorial army, equivalent to the
reserves, until I left NZ in 1996.
I
have seen active service with the South African
Defence Force when I was seconded to a unit over
there in 1984 where my brother in law was KIA. We
were to be awarded medals for our service there but
due to political circumstances they were never
issued, maybe that’s why I tried to take credit for
actions others had done in later conflicts that I
missed out on.
As
to the fact of me being a speed addict and having
epilepsy before my enlistment in the RAR this is a
pack of lies to further discredit me and to the
wearing of the medals since the 1990’s this is again
false I only started wearing the things around 2005
something I am truly ashamed of and deeply sorry for
especially if I have offended any of you in the
process.
Personal details removed
Be
aware that I am presently in negotiations with
lawyers to sue both xxxxxxxxx and anzmi for Libel
and Slander at the request of the Queensland police
as I went to the police first and revealed all this
to them first with the support of my family and the
last true friends I do have. And
I
am prepared to face up to the wrongs I have done and
pay the full penalty whatever that may be. This is
the first of many painful steps but I will not shy
away from my responsibilities here.
Again my deepest apologies to you all I am
incredibly sorry for any hurt or disrespect my
actions may have caused.
Nic Priest
We
believe Priest is a pathological liar and his
apologies are shallow evasive actions and
meaningless rhetoric from a cornered wannabe.
Below is a reminder of Priest wearing his infamous
leather vest.
PRIEST Dominic Charles
