Rotorua District Court judge gives warning about Covid-19 pandemic excuses

The Rotorua Courthouse. Photo / File

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 had flu-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.