Coast man denies impersonating rescue official

New Zealand USAR team members at the Urban Search and Rescue Headquarters, in Christchurch CBD. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A West Coast man accused of falsely representing himself as an official to join in the work of the Urban Search and Rescue team in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake has denied the charge and been released on bail after a month in custody on remand.

Jason Henry Bevington, of Blackball, pleaded not guilty at a Christchurch District Court sentencing inside the Christchurch Men's Prison today, and also denied possession of offensive weapons - knives and an axe - that were found in his car a few days after the earthquake.

Police opposed bail when Bevington appeared at a remand hearing on February 22, saying they were concerned that he had allegedly himself off as having search and rescue experience and may have put himself or other people in danger by working on the earthquake disaster sites without training.

Defence counsel Allister Davis said Bevington denied the charge of impersonating an emergency official and possession of the weapons and asked for a remand on bail to May 23 for a status hearing. Bevington would live at his home in Blackball, he said.

Judge Raoul Neave agreed to the remand and noted that the judge who refused bail said the issue could be reconsidered when matters had settled down.

He granted bail for Bevington to be picked up from the prison by his wife today, and travel straight home to Blackball. He will have to live there, report twice a week to the Greymouth police, and is only allowed to cross the main divide to consult his lawyer or attend the defended hearing.

"If there is any repetition of this sort of behaviour you will stay in custody no matter how long it takes to resolve the matter," said the judge.

Meanwhile, a man who allegedly tried to bluff his way into a household the day after the earthquake by pretending to be an emergency official has been remanded again after five weeks in custody on a charge of burglary.

Nathan John de Seymour, 21, a hammer hand, of Beckenham, was remanded in custody again to Friday for a further bail application to be considered.

Defence counsel Philip Allan said de Seymour had been excited about being a useful member of the community in the city on the day of the earthquake and had then begun checking houses in Beckenham of his own volition the next day. He had no intention of committing a crime.

However, police claimed that he asked if the householder had a laptop computer and if he was moving away.

- NZPA