Kathryn George/Stuff
Isiah Daly is facing several charges including possession of a firearm, failing to stop for police and burglary (file illustration).
A man wanting to apply for bail on 19 charges caused such disruption in the Palmerston North District Court he was told he could no longer appear at the hearing.
Isiah Daly was to come before Judge David Smith on Thursday. However, before his name was called, yelling, swearing and banging could be heard from inside the courtroom.
Security staff tried to de-escalate the situation by speaking with Daly who was being held in the cells.
The judge said it appeared he was in the “throes of [drug] withdrawals or something similar”.
Duty lawyer Marina Anderson said she had been unable to take any instructions from Daly, who was upset as he believed police had not sorted his address for bail.
She was filling in for counsel Tim Hesketh who said he spoken with Daly on Wednesday.
“He’s very distressed … It appears he is coming down from a drug overdose.”
Daly had been in hospital overnight and police were opposing his bail.
The judge said there were 19 charges to be considered, but Daly was not in a “fit state” to appear in court.
His charges included unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, burglary, possession of an offensive weapon, and failing to stop for police.
He was already on bail for other unrelated charges when these alleged offences occurred.
The judge said that as the court was not in a position to take advice from Daly, he was not prepared to grant bail.
He remanded Daly in custody to reappear in court at the earliest date.
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