A North Island handyman allegedly responsible for fleecing clients out of more than $100,000 has popped up in court more than 1000km away.
Andrew Trevor Hill, 49, appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to 14 charges of obtaining by deception.
According to court documents, the crimes - amounting to $117,313 - began in June and lasted less than three months, spanning Gisborne and Wairoa.
While most of the charges alleged several thousand dollars of fraud, two incidents in August and September made up the bulk of the sum: one for $23,000 and another for $24,887.
Companies Office records show Hill was the sole director and shareholder of Andrew Till Fencing Ltd.
The firm was launched in May last year and removed from the register just six months later.
Hill was remanded on bail and will be back in court in July.
Obtaining by deception carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment.
