An Otorohanga father who sparked a wide-scale search after going missing with his three young children has failed to show up to his first court appearance

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

34-year-old Thomas Phillips was charged with wasteful deployment of police resources following the 17-day search in September last year.

Phillips was scheduled to appear in person at Te Kuiti District Court facing a single charge of wasting police resources.

But 45 minutes after the hearing was scheduled to start, he still hadn't shown up and the matter was called without him.