Refusal to turn off phone lands man in cell

File photo / Brett Phibbs

A man found himself in a court cell after refusing to switch off his mobile phone at Hamilton District Court this week.

The man was sitting in the public gallery during the morning session when a court security officer approached and asked him to switch off his phone, The Waikato Times reported.

He refused, then resisted efforts by court security to remove him.

Community magistrate Kathryn Wilson briefly adjourned the court as about six police officers and court security took the man into the court cells.

The man was later released and summonsed to appear in court on an assault charge.

- NZPA