Judge gives fake vax pass accused two weeks to sort out pleas

No pleas have been entered by a man accused of making fake vaccine passes. New Zealand Herald Photograph by George Heard

A Rangiora man accused of making fake vaccine passes has been granted one final remand before he will have to enter a plea at the Christchurch District Court.

Judge Stephen O'Driscoll told the man, 61, who has interim name suppression, that "this matter needs to be resolved one way or another".

The man first appeared before a registrar on February 1 but is still arranging a lawyer.

His original counsel was a legal aid assignment but Judge O'Driscoll was told today that the relationship had fallen through and a new lawyer would be needed.

The man has not yet pleaded to charges of issuing people with fake vaccine passes for payment.

When the man asked for that to be continued today, Judge O'Driscoll questioned the grounds for the order and said the application to renew it would have to be filed three days before the next appearance or it would lapse.

He told the man he was willing to grant one further remand without plea, but then he would effectively put in a not guilty plea by default.

Judge O'Driscoll remanded the man on continued bail to March 8.