KEY POINTS:
Family and friends of a pharmacist facing 130 fraud charges wept when he was advised he might yet be allowed home detention.
Former Cook Street Pharmacy owner Peter Chiew appeared in Palmerston District Court yesterday, expecting to be sentenced on 130 fraud charges involving almost $221,000 of taxpayers' money.
However, Judge Nevin Dawson ordered a further remand to consider assessment for home detention.
Chiew was remanded at large while a report is prepared. He is to reappear on December 12.
The 32-year-old claimed government subsidies for prescriptions patients never picked up. The offending started on April 30, 2001, but it wasn't until March of 2006 that a division of the Health Ministry investigated.
The ministry tracked down 10,857 examples to a total value of $220,994.20.
Chiew initially blamed administrative errors, but subsequently admitted guilt at a hearing in August.
- NZPA
