Remand for man who swung rabbit

An Auckland man accused last week of threatening Queen St pedestrians by swinging a rabbit at them has been named.

Graham Paul Brown, 53, was remanded on bail after appearing in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

The unemployed man faced charges of assaulting a police officer, behaving in a disorderly manner on Queen St and the ill-treatment of an animal.

Named Larry by the SPCA, the rabbit is described in court documents as a "lop rabbit, male, adult, fawn in colour".

Police say Brown stole the bunny - subsequently named Larry by the SPCA - and swung it by its ears at pedestrians, while verbally abusing them.

When officers arrived, he allegedly tried to hide the rabbit under his shirt and police had to wrestle the rabbit from him.

It was now in a hutch at the SPCA awaiting its owners.

Brown will reappear in court on March 17.