Featherston man who led 50min chase named
The man who led police on a 50-minute foot chase across farmland in Masterton after unlawfully taking a car in Featherston was denied interim name suppression when he appeared before Judge Anthony Walsh yesterday.
Michael Walker, 23, of Featherston, pleaded guilty to taking a car and breaching the conditions of his home detention by leaving his designated address and cutting himself free of his ankle bracelet.
He was remanded in custody to appear for sentence in Wellington District Court on August 10, giving time for a report to be prepared.
Walker appeared at a special sitting convened in the Masterton Police Station, instead of the temporary courtroom in the Frank Cody Lounge, as he was being held in custody after his arrest late on Wednesday.
The Probation Service has also filed an application to have Walker's eight-month home detention sentence cancelled and for him to be re-sentenced on original charges of burglary and breaching the conditions of prison release.
Yesterday, Walker appeared barefoot and in blue police issue clothing. He was represented by lawyer Louise Elder.
Ms Elder entered guilty pleas on Walker's behalf to the charges that arose from Wednesday's incident.
Police mounted a hunt for Walker after he was seen taking an Audi car in Featherston and fleeing towards Masterton.
As officers set up cordons at intersections throughout Wairarapa and directed patrolling police cars to various points, Walker abandoned the car and fled across farmland at Te Whiti, in rural Masterton.
Two constables who spied him running away gave chase and, after a marathon 50 minutes of pursuit, which included skirting live electric fences and wading the Ruamahanga River, they ran him down and took him into custody.
Ms Elder tried to secure interim name suppression for Walker until his sentencing date but Judge Walsh denied her application, saying he did not believe there were grounds for suppression.
