Runaway to 're-engage' with mental health services

ROB KITCHIN/Dominion Post

RUNAWAY RETURNS: Hastings man Cameron Dormer in Wellington District Court. Dormer faced charges of wasting police time, after his disappearance at the weekend.

ROB KITCHIN/Dominion Post

FAMILY SUPPORT: Cameron Dormer holding hands with his father John Dormer as they leave Wellington District Court.

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Hawke's Bay runaway Cameron Dormer has been remanded without plea on charges of wasting police time, after his disappearance at the weekend led to a search spanning much of the North Island.

In Wellington District Court today Judge Mike Behrens, QC, offered Dormer a short term of community work and a fine to plead guilty and get rid of the charges, but a lawyer declined on his behalf.

He was also charged with having cannabis, and having a pipe for smoking cannabis.

Dormer, 25, was caught last night in Wellington after disappearing from Hastings at the weekend.

He had a wry look on his face in court.

His lawyer, Douglas Ewen, said there was a suggestion that Dormer may face more charges, and he also intended to "re-engage" with mental health services.

Dormer was remanded on bail, to live with his father in New Plymouth, and appear in court in Wellington on October 19.

Dormer was found in Wellington last night, five days after the discovery of his burnt-out car, sparking a police hunt that zigzagged across the North Island, making its way to Wellington from the Hawke's Bay, via Bay of Plenty and New Plymouth.

Officers found Mr Dormer near a central city motor inn, after he leapt out a window and ran to a nearby school, about 6pm yesterday.

He was with another man at the time.

Detective Sergeant Mike Foster, of Hastings, said police had tracked down Mr Dormer by analysing his cellphone records.

"We did some very careful cellphone analysis and put two and two together."

Mr Foster said Mr Dormer's father, John, and the missing man's partner, Clinton Hughes, were very relieved he had been found.

They had both been cleared of any involvement in Mr Dormer's disappearance.

"His family have been put through hell and back in the past five days."

Both men were perplexed by the 25-year-old's disappearance on Saturday.

John Dormer said he wanted to give his son a "big hug and then to give him a kick up the arse", adding that Cameron and Mr Hughes had visited him last week and there were no signs of any problems between the couple.

His son's disappearance had caused his family and friends a lot of stress. "It has been indescribable, really. I wouldn't want to go through it again."

Mr Hughes said that though he was happy his partner had been found, he was still unsure what was behind the disappearance: "It's so not him. And burning a car? That's stupid."

Police tracked Mr Dormer to Wellington after he was seen by a member of the public on a bus from New Plymouth to Wellington on Sunday - the day after his car was discovered in Bay of Plenty.

The burnt-out 1998 Honda Accord was found near Katikati and Mr Dormer had not been heard from since he sent a text message to Mr Hughes at 3.30pm on Saturday, saying he was being followed.

Mr Foster said police were also interviewing a man in New Plymouth who had become of interest as a result of their inquiries. Mr Foster would not say if the man was known to Mr Dormer or if he was involved in his disappearance.

With NZPA

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