Defendant at large for 25 years pleads not guilty in Auckland after Australia deportation

The man appeared today at the High Court at Auckland, 25 years after the court issued a warrant for his arrest. Photo / NZME

A 61-year-old man who has been considered at-large for the past two-and-a-half decades returned to the High Court at Auckland today, where he pleaded not guilty to the 1996 charges.

The man, who was arrested last month after being deported to New Zealand from Australia, appeared via audio-visual link today before Justice Sally Fitzgerald.

"The man had outstanding warrants to arrest in relation to sexual offending charges that were laid in court in 1996," a police spokesperson told the Herald, adding that police cannot comment further because the matter is now before the courts.

"The man was scheduled to appear today in the High Court in Auckland on those historical charges."

After accepting the not guilty pleas, Justice Fitzgerald moved the case to Manukau District Court and remanded the defendant to remain in custody until his first appearance there, set for later this month.

The warrant for his arrest was issued by the High Court in 1997, but "the legislation and the landscape has moved on since that time" and now the district court is a better fit for the case, Justice Fitzgerald said.

The judge also made an order for exhibits held at the High Court to be temporarily released to police so that copies can be made. Due to the passage of time, the police file was destroyed some time ago, she noted.