A Wellington diver, who sparked a 48 hour search costing thousands of dollars before turning up mysteriously 300km away in Hawke's Bay, is due in court next week.
Colin Smithies, 49, will appear in Wellington District Court on Monday charged with wasting police time after an estimated $50,000 was spent looking for him.
A massive air and sea search was launched after the Commerce Commission economist went missing while diving for paua off Titahi Bay in Porirua on January 10.
Two days later he presented himself in a disorientated state nearly 300km away at the Clive police station, south of Napier.
He returned to Wellington and was assessed at a psychiatric unit.
