Alleged fake Covid texter turned away from court

A man who allegedly altered a text message to say he had returned a positive Covid-19 test result, before sending it to several other people, has had his first appearance in court adjourned before it even happened.

Devon Graham Stock, 27, was due to appear in the Hamilton District Court yesterday. Stock, who court documents state is a butcher living in Cambridge, is facing a single charge of altering a document – namely a text message from the Ministry of Health – with intent to cause loss.

The charge alleges the offending happened in Otorohanga, on September 22.

It carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.

Stuff understands Stock arrived in court yesterday morning, but was turned away at the door by security staff after telling them he had recently been in the Auckland area. A new appearance date has yet to be scheduled.

In a statement sent to media, police allege Stock edited an official text message informing him he had returned a negative Covid-19 test result to read that he had returned a positive test result.

He then contacted a number of people claiming he had returned a positive test result.

Stuff understands his actions resulted in at least one business in the Waikato shutting down operations on Wednesday night, before later being told the seemingly legitimate text was fake.

Waikato West area commander Inspector Will Loughrin said police were made aware of the incident after one of these concerned people contacted them.

The Ministry of Health confirmed Stock undertook a Covid-19 test on September 20, which returned a negative test result on September 22, he said.