Dementia man must stay in jail

A 69-year-old man with Parkinson's disease and suspected dementia has been ''regrettably'' ordered to stay in prison, because there is no alternative.

The Upper Hutt man has been held in Rimutaka Prison on assault and indecent assault charges since June, and no health facility or service will take care of him, his lawyer says.

Judge Geoffrey Ellis ''regrettably'' sent the man back to prison at 10.30 am today in the Upper Hutt District Court.

It is alleged the man groped a disabled female patient on two occasions at his previous elderly care home and assaulted a health worker by ''shaking his walking stick'', his lawyer Michael Bott says.

The Health Ministry had failed to act in the case, and the man is in ''dire need'' and cannot feed himself or walk unaided, Mr Bott said.

''It appears the ministry doesn't have the funding or the will to do anything at all.''

Mr Bott had previously said: ''Arguably this is the tip of the iceberg as the population gets older. People who are afflicted with those [age-related] illnesses are going to come to the attention of the justice system.''

The man is yet to plea to the charges.

He will spend the next two weeks in prison until his next appearance.

A report was ordered to assess whether he is physically and mentally able to participate in court proceedings.

Ministry of Health disability services chief advisor Lester Mundell said on Monday the ministry was satisfied the man's health and disability support needs were being met in prison.

Alternative accommodation had not been found despite ''extensive'' efforts, with help from Corrections and health and disability services, he said.

- Upper Hutt Leader