New Zealand police want bus driver to pay reparation

August 29, 2006

Christchurch, New Zealand Redbus bus driver Micheal Sean Ohiomhair, 57-year-old, is being sought for NZ$9000 by the New Zealand Police for wasting time and resources after he filed a false statement that a woman had attacked him. The police had put 100 hours into the hunt for the attacker.

The Christchurch District Court found out today that the injuries he sustained were self-inflicted. Ohiomhair changed his plead to guilty to the charges of making a false statement after originally pleading not guilty. Serina Bailey, defence council, said "57-year-old Ohiomhair had originally pleaded not guilty because there were medical and psychological issues I wished to raise". Her client has now consulted mental health services for on-going psychological matters.

Police and ambulance personnel were called to the scene on May 10 at 2045 (NZST), when Ohiomhair told the police that a woman had attacked him while he was at a bus stop in Hornby, Christchurch. The ambulance staff treated him at the scene for injuries he sustained to his forearm and the left side of his head.

The police and police dogs then searched the area but failed to find the alleged woman attacker. After reconfirming what happened the police told him that it appeared his reconfirmation appeared incorrect, he then left the station but later appeared back at the station and confessed to making it up.

This incident followed an original incident when a different bus driver was attacked by teenage girls.

Ohiomhair will appear back in court, after he was remanded on bail, on September 15 for a probation report, a reparation report and sentencing.

Mark Berryman, Police prosecutor Sergeant, said "He said he received information from a family member two hours before, which caused him to become stressed and confused," the information he had received was relating to an incident that happened 25 years ago.