Man charged with impersonating emergency official

File Photo / Hawke's Bay Times

A man who police say ordered the evacuation of a building at Lincoln University has been charged with falsely representing himself to be a civil defence official.

Name suppression was granted to the 46-year-old New Brighton man when he appeared before Judge Jacki Moran in the Christchurch District Court today.

The application was made by defence counsel Michael Knowles when the man was remanded on bail to September 30. Mr Knowles said he wanted the remand to see the police evidence in support of the charge.

Police prosecutor Anselm Williams did not oppose the suppression application.

The man is alleged to have been a civil defence volunteer during the emergency in Christchurch but is accused of telling officials that damage to a building at the university meant that it had to be evacuated on Monday.

The police allege he was dressed in overalls with a Canterbury Civil Defence Management Group logo at the time.

The university had already been cleared for the return of staff and students that day.

No plea was entered.

- NZPA