British men appear in court in connection with 'roofing scam'

Two British men have appeared court charged with obtaining money by deception following an investigation into alleged roofing scams in Auckland.

At the Whanganui District Court on Friday afternoon, the two men, aged 27 and 30, faced two joint charges of obtaining $5000 and $18,800 "by deception and without claim of right" during the past two months.

One of the men faces an additional charge of obtaining $1000 by the same means on January 16.

One of the accused appears in Whanganui Court.

No pleas were entered and the pair were remanded in custody to appear in Auckland District Court on February 4.

They were granted interim name suppression by Justice of the Peace Jim O'Neill.

They stood quietly in the dock, exchanging gestures and glances with two blonde women who watched from the public seats and did not want to comment afterward.

One of the accused appears in Whanganui Court.

The two men were arrested on a warrant, the court was told.

O'Neill said he was uncomfortable with having any part of media frenzy.

"This is a court of law, not a court of media frenzy," he told the court.