A man who took to a boat to protest against deep-sea oil exploration off the Gisborne coast has failed to convince a court that police had no right to arrest him.
Elvis Teddy was arrested outside territorial waters in April 2011 for resisting police and operating his boat in a risky manner.
In a decision released today, the Court of Appeal said police do have the power to stop and board New Zealand boats and to arrest offenders outside New Zealand waters.
When Mr Teddy's case first appeared before the District Court, the judge threw out the charges, saying he had no jurisdiction to hear them because they occurred outside the country's territorial zone.
The High Court argued that he did have jurisdiction, and Mr Teddy appealed against this.
As a result of today's decision, Mr Teddy will again face his original charges in the District Court.
