Man granted bail after Parliament bomb threat

File photo / Mark Mitchell

A Reefton man who allegedly threatened to blow up Parliament has been granted bail on the condition he does not contact MPs.

Armed police helped arrest Robert Frank Terry, who appeared in Greymouth District Court this morning on a charge of sending a threatening letter to Justice Minister Judith Collins.

Terry told Judge Tony Couch he would be defending the charge.

Police opposed bail but Judge Couch said it could be up to nine months before the case came to trial and a remand in custody for that long would be too oppressive.

Remanding him on bail to next appear on August 28, the judge banned Terry from having contact with any MP or their staff.

He was also banned from contacting Parliament itself, but was allowed to make submissions to select committees.

Terry said he was the secretary of a political party and to deny him access to select committees would be a breach of his civil rights.

- The Greymouth Star