Overweight accused man collapses outside court

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An obese man who turned up to court to face an arrest warrant over his failure to appear on fraud charges collapsed minutes before he was due in the dock.

The Waikato man, whose interim name suppression was continued, collapsed in the waiting area at Hamilton District Court and was taken by ambulance to Waikato Hospital.

His lawyer, Michael Meyrick, said a defibrillator in the man's chest jolted his heart, causing him pain and distress. He lay on the floor until ambulance officers arrived.

He was at court voluntarily after Judge David Ruth issued a warrant for his arrest last week when he failed to appear for the fourth time since April.

Mr Meyrick told the court the man had "catastrophically bad health" with diabetes and heart problems as well as morbidly obesity.

He is accused of defrauding would-be clients of more than $100,000.

He faces one charge of using a document for pecuniary advantage, eight charges of obtaining by deception and one of being a manager or director of a company while prohibited.

On Thursday, Judge Ruth said the man was using his ill health and obesity to "subvert" the court process.

Yesterday Mr Meyrick said the warrant was unjustified and police had a "jaundiced" view of his client, who maintained his innocence.

"He's absolutely adamant that these charges are without substance."

He said he found the man "unconscious under a table" the last time he was due in court.

Mr Meyrick said police previously said they opposed bail because they believed the accused could still be offending while at large.

He asked that the warrant be cancelled and the case proceed to the next step, a post-committal conference.

But community magistrate Susan Hovell said the warrant would remain in place and the man would be arrested unless he voluntarily appeared at court. "The matter needs to proceed."

Mr Meyrick said name suppression should continue because identifying the man would affect the business and jobs of five others, including family members.