More charges for alleged hostage-taker

More charges have been laid against a Greymouth man who remains in custody after his arrest for an alleged hostages-for-ransom situation nine days ago.

Christchurch District Court Judge Philip Moran further remanded 26-year-old Jeremy Ivan Sutton to a pre-depositions conference in Christchurch on July 2.

Sutton, unemployed, entered no pleas at the brief appearance.

Last week he was charged with unlawfully detaining three people with intent to hold them for ransom, at Runanga, near Greymouth, on June 13.

The court documents also listed charges of threatening to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon, and carrying an imitation firearm.

At court today there were further charges of theft, two of assaulting police officers, and disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence, and a fourth charge of kidnapping.

Defence counsel is David Bunce.

- NZPA