This story raises serious questions about mental health or was it just a young bloke who wanted some attention?
POLICE CHARGE HIKER WHO WAS NOT LOST
BMG 9/4/1975 & 28/5/75.
On 16 March 1975, at 8.30pm, 21-year-old James Philip Hodson was reported overdue on a hike in Jamieson Valley. Hodson had contacted a friend and asked him to contact police if he failed to be out of the valley by 7 pm. A search party headed by Sergeant First Class Ern Sanderson, of the Blue Mountains Police Rescue Squad, searched the night for the defendant. The 12 policemen continued searching through the next two days. Hodson had a reputation of being good bushman, and the police thought he was injured but not lost. About 5 pm on March 18, unknown to the police searchers, Hodson came out of the valley, unhurt.
The following day, 19 March, Hodson was interviewed at the police station, and he said that on March 16 he became very lonely and depressed and decided to go into the. valley and become lost. Hodson said he heard police calls from the nearby bush, but he did not answer them. He also carried a radio with which he could follow the police search reports.
Police charged Hodson that he did knowingly make false representation that he was lost or missing in bushland in the valley on March 16. He pleaded guilty and was released on $500 bail. The case was adjourned until May 14 for a pre-sentence report from the appropriate authority.
On May 14, Hodson was placed a $500 good behaviour bond for 12 months and ordered to pay $600 compensation to the NSW Police Department. At the adjourned hearing, the Magistrate asked Sergeant Findley what was the cost of search procedures. He replied that 12 police and two park rangers were involved, and the minimum cost of wages would be $934.
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