Accused bids to keep name suppressed

14th March 2010

A prominent Northlander accused of a punching a man to the ground and stomping on his head has lost his bid for continued name suppression.

However, the Northern Advocate cannot name the man as he immediately appealed the judge's decision to the High Court, meaning his name is automatically suppressed until the appeal is heard.

The man is charged with two counts of injuring with intent to injure after he allegedly assaulted a man and left him unconscious outside Mangawhai Tavern  in October.

He has been granted interim name suppression on the charges, where it's alleged he punched a man to the ground and stomped on his head, but that suppression was lifted by Judge Keith de Ridder in the Whangarei District Court yesterday.

The man's lawyer, Arthur Fairley, immediately appealed the judge's decision to the High Court.

A date has yet to be set to hear the appeal.