A convicted serial fraudster who was too ill to appear in court yesterday is facing new charges of dishonestly using more than $100,000.
Max Heslehurst, 57, of Horotiu was to have appeared in Hamilton District Court yesterday to face the fraud-related charges.
But Heslehurst, who once tipped the scales at 190kg, was excused from appearing in court after his lawyer said police were aware of his circumstances and he was in hospital with an unknown ailment.
Heslehurst is facing nine charges of obtaining a document by deception to use for pecuniary advantage.
The offending is alleged to have occurred between July last year and January.