By Amanda Gillies
Alleged internet pirate Kim ‘Dotcom’ Schmitz is appealing a judge's decision not to let him out on bail while he awaits an extradition hearing.
The judge told Dotcom today that he was being remanded in custody for the next four weeks because he was a significant flight risk.
Dotcom stood defiant, hands firmly on hips, then gave a quick wink and nod to his supporters before he heard he would be spending another month in jail.
“The reaction is one of disappointment obviously," says his lawyer Paul Davison. "We were hopeful the judge would accept our arguments and contentions and see that there is no risk whatsoever that Kim Dotcom would seek to leave New Zealand."
After a full day of argument on Monday, today the judge agreed with the Crown, saying Dotcom was a significant flight risk.
In a written decision, the judge could not discount that he would take whatever money was available to him and run to a safe haven in Germany.
He cannot be extradited to the US from there.
The judge was also swayed by Dotcom's modified and illegal firearms.
He wrote: “It suggests a level of criminality which to my mind could easily extend to exploiting criminal connections to obtain false travel documents and leave the country undetected.”
Dotcom’s lawyer Mr Davison refutes such criminal ties.
“There is no evidence whatsoever that he has any criminal associations or connections at all. I don't know where the judge got that from.”
But in 2010 Dotcom emailed nervous Coatesville neighbours about his criminal past.He jokingly said he had found out about their concerns by hacking a local email server.
He then listed the benefits of having a criminal neighbour, offering “tax fraud optimisation”, “valuable stock tips” from insiders, and contacts with criminals to help deal with nasty neighbours.
When asked if he really hacked their emails, he responded: “Do you really think I hacked your emails? Nonsense. One of my agents has infiltrated your family :-)."
The letter ended: "If you feel like it come over for coffee sometimes. And don't forget to bring the cocaine (joke)."
His humour only made his neighbours more nervous, probably just like the inflatable war tank he had installed on the grounds of his mansion this afternoon.
3 News