Mother’s plea to absconding son

Press, 20 February 1986, Page 14

Mother’s plea to absconding son

PA Auckland The mother of Frederick David Howard, who has disappeared while on bail facing extradition to Australia, has appealed to her son to give himself up to the police. The police are acting on a warrant for the arrest of Howard, who on January 10 failed to report as a condition of his bail. Mrs Howard has said that her son should give himself up. “I cannot see any point in him not doing so,” she said. He cannot run for the rest of his life.” Mrs Howard, who also has school-age children, agreed to put up a surety of $30,000 as part of her son’s bail.

“The only asset I have is my home. It means selling my home.” Howard, aged 27, has been refused civil legal aid and does not have the money to challenge in the Court of Appeal a decision that his extradition war-

rant is valid. He faces extradition to Australia on an armed robbery charge. Last year Howard won the right to stay in New Zealand until the year’s probation he was serving for escaping from police Custody expired in midMarch. On May 16 he was released on bail after spending 47 days in solitary confinement in a cell at the Auckland Central Police Station. Last week, after Howard’s disappearance, Mr Justice Prichard in the High Court at Auckland revoked bail and issued a warrant for his arrest to take effect from 9 a.m. yesterday if he did not appear at the court. Howard failed to appear yesterday. His lawyer, Mr Christopher Harder, said he believed Howard had disappeared because he was depressed. He feared for Howard’s health and welfare.