A Tauranga judge who sent a man to the cells for failing to stand when he entered the court says the culprit "appeared to be giving the court the finger".
Corey James Zohs, 32, who was seated in the public gallery in Tauranga District Court yesterday waiting for his case to come up, failed to stand up like everyone else when Judge Peter Rollo resumed presiding after morning recess.
The protocol of the court is for everyone to stand as the judge enters and leaves the court room and to sit when instructed by the court cryer or the judge.
Zohs, who was in court to be sentenced in relation to two breaches of prison release conditions, stayed seated as everyone else stood on the judge's return to the court room.
A clearly annoyed Judge Rollo eye-balled Zohs, who remained defiant, and the judge ordered him to be placed in the cells and sent a duty solicitor to have a talk with him. Judge Rollo then explained to the rest of the public gallery why he had done so.