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A Hastings man accused of faking his disappearance sparking a costly police search of the North Island has denied any wrongdoing.
Cameron Dormer, 25, pleaded not guilty in Hastings District Court today to wasting police time and possessing cannabis and a pipe.
A huge search was mounted for Dormer after he left his Hastings home on September 29 to get takeaways and never returned.
He sent a text message to his partner Clinton Hughes later that afternoon saying he was being followed by another car and would take down its registration number - and then disappeared.
His burnt-out car was found hours later more than 300km away at Katikati, in the Bay of Plenty.
The next day a witness reported seeing Dormer on a bus travelling from New Plymouth, where his father lived, to Wellington.
He was found at a Wellington motel on October 2 and taken to into custody and later release don bail.
His lawyer, Douglas Ewen, asked for the trial to be moved to Wellington where Dormer was arrested and most witnesses lived.
"Certainly there will be significant cost savings to the state by having it heard in Wellington."
However, police prosecutor Kris Eckhold said the case involved police officers from KatiKati to Wellington and should be heard in Hastings.
Mr Ewen asked for police to provide a list of witnesses to determine the best venue for a defended hearing.
Police agreed but said they needed three weeks to complete this list.
Mr Ewen also asked for Dormer's bail to be varied from the Hastings address back to his father's home in New Plymouth.
Judge Bridget Mackintosh altered the bail and remanded the case to December 13 for a defended hearing date and venue will be set.
Dormer was supported in court by his father, John, and partner Mr Hughes.
Meanwhile in new Plymouth District Court today Corey Karl Fougere, 32, a tourism worker, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to police about Dormer's disappearance.
He was sentenced to 140 hours' community work.
His lawyer told the court that Fougere acted because was he believed his friend was in danger.
- NZPA
