Accused Rotorua criminals are being warned not to use the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse to get off going to court.
Judge Maree MacKenzie issued an arrest warrant for a woman today in the Rotorua District Court after the woman's lawyer said she couldn't go to court because she hadflu-like symptoms.
Judge MacKenzie said without proof she had Covid-19 with a RAT test, she must come to court.
The judge said this was happening too much and she would be taking a tough line.
She allowed the warrant to arrest to lie in court until the following morning to allow the woman time to either get to court or get a RAT test.
"We aren't in a position to assess the genuineness or otherwise of this issue. We are continually getting people saying they can not come to court because they have flu-like symptoms."
She told the woman's lawyer, Peter Birks, the woman needed to take a test urgently.
