Reparation sought for waste of police time

Police will seek $9000 in reparations from a bus driver who made up a complaint that a woman passenger had attacked him.

Police and ambulance staff were called to the scene of the attack in the suburb of Hornby on May 10, but the Christchurch District Court was told today that the injuries to Micheal Sean Ohiomhair had been self-inflicted.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of making a false statement to a constable that a crime had been committed. His original allegation came soon after another widely publicised vicious attack on a different driver by a group of teenage girls.

Defence counsel Serina Bailey said 57-year-old Ohiomhair had originally pleaded not guilty because there were medical and psychological issues she wished to raise. Her client had now consulted mental health services for on-going psychological matters.

Judge Stephen Erber remanded him on bail to September 15 for a probation report, a reparation report and sentence.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman said the police had put 100 hours into the investigation and $9000 reparation was sought for the wasted time.

He said the police control centre received a call from Red Bus about 8.45pm on March 10 reporting the assault.

Ohiomhair was treated for minor injuries to his forearm and the left side of his head. He said a woman who boarded the bus at Templeton had attacked him.

An extensive search of the area did not find any trace of the woman.

Ohiomhair was later taken back to the scene to confirm his version of events. When he was told later that his version appeared to be wrong, he demanded to leave the Hornby Police Station.

He later went back and made another statement saying he had made up the complaint and inflicted the injuries on himself.

"He said he received information from a family member two hours before, which caused him to become stressed and confused," said Mr Berryman.

The information concerned a family event about 25 years before.

When the case went to a status hearing two weeks ago, it was remanded for the diversion scheme to be considered but Mrs Bailey said yesterday diversion had been declined.

- NZPA