A woman facing criminal charges alleging she defrauded the Hastings District Council of an amount understood to be more than $500,000 has failed to appear in court due to illness.
The woman, who has interim name suppression, was due to appear in the Hastings District Court this morning after she was charged with 14 counts of using tax invoices or statements to dishonestly obtain a pecuniary advantage earlier this month.
Defence lawyer Bill Calver told the court he had this morning received a phone call from the now-unemployed woman, who had told him she was bedridden with a severe case of kidney stones.
Mr Calver said a medical certificate supplied to the court was "a bit light on detail" but noted she seemed genuinely ill when he had spoken to her. Her attendance was excused.
Interim name suppression granted at her first appearance was extended for a further two weeks after Mr Calver sought an extension on the grounds of her illness and wanting assurance that any facts published about the case be correct.