$600 fine for anthrax hoax

A man who caused a mail centre anthrax scare in Palmerston North was yesterday fined $600.

The man, whose name was suppressed, was convicted of wasting police time after he admitted mailing an envelope containing flour which spilled, causing the Manawatu Mail Centre to be closed for about four hours on October 19.

Police told the Palmerston North District Court that the man told them he was playing a joke on a friend.

His lawyer said the incident was a "grossly misguided attempt at humour between two friends which escaped into the public domain".