An allergy to electronic monitoring equipment has seen a Napier man's home-detention sentence cancelled, in what is only the second case of its kind nationwide.
Cameron Bryan Smith, 44, appeared in the Napier District Court yesterday, where Judge Geoff Rea was told that an allergy to monitoring equipment meant the home detention sentence could not continue.
"One thing about this job, something different happens every day. Getting someone who's allergic to the electronic monitoring equipment - that's a first," Judge Rea said.
A spokesman for the Department of Corrections said it was the second case they had come across.
"Basically, they tried both legs and he ended up with a bad skin irritation, so his doctor recommended it come off," the spokesman said. "In the other case, they put a sock underneath and that seemed to work, but it didn't in this case."