About a dozen Wakatipu, national and English reporters, photographers and cameramen formed an orderly and slightly bemused scrum outside the glass doors of the court house.
Jonathan Dixon (40), of Queenstown, wearing a sharp black suit and even sharper facial hair, walked past the glass doors and acknowledged the media's presence with a single raised index finger, as if needing a moment before meeting his public. Moments passed and reporters exchanged glances.
The automatic doors parted and Dixon eventually walked out, brandishing a camera of his own and pointed at the media as they trained their cameras and recorders on him.
Questions were asked. Did he feel guilty? Was there more footage? Instead, Dixon raised his hands as if appealing for calm.
Ears strained to hear what he said. He mumbled something about having a statement prepared however, a Radio New Zealand reporter appeared to have rubbed him the wrong way with his questions.
Dixon clearly took exception to the probing, by singling out reporter Steve Wilde, to everyone's bafflement.
"Go Tindall'' was the only other comment Dixon made before speaking with someone in a parked car and wandering off.
Cameras swivelled and microphones swung to Mr Wilde, but he said he was just asking Dixon a few questions and did not know what caused the friction.
Dixon was charged with obtaining security footage from a base computer system dishonestly and without claim of right.
Judge Kevin Phillips remanded Dixon without plea to seek legal advice. The defendant was not to be within 100m of Altitude bar, in downtown Queenstown, as a condition of bail.
He is due to appear again on October 3.
