Airport runaway to be held until deportation
Christchurch Airport. © Albert Hsu
A man who ran from immigration officials during routine arrival questioning at Christchurch Airport on Friday is being held in Hillmorton Hospital until he can be deported.
Michael Alexander Stockermans, 24, from the Netherlands, appeared before Judge Christopher Somerville in the Christchurch District Court today.
He escaped from the airport during questioning and fled across the paddocks to the city, bleeding from a head injury. He was found by the police and taken into custody about nine hours after he ran off.
Immigration New Zealand today asked for a 28-day warrant of commitment which would enable them to hold Stockermans at Hillmorton Hospital for that period. Prosecutor Anselm Williams said he expected that Stockermans would leave the country during that time.
Defence counsel Linda Drummond said Stockermans consented to the warrant. It was understood that a family member would arrive within a few days to help arrange his departure overseas, she said.
Immigration New Zealand is not pressing charges, but will not say why he fled from officials at the airport, or how he got his head injury.
Category: News
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