A Vincent Community Board member who punched a man following a dispute about an unpaid bill was unsuccessful in his bid for name suppression when he appeared in the Alexandra District Court today.
Stuart James Millis (56), of Alexandra, whose occupation was listed on the charge sheet as ''representative'', received diversion on a charge of assaulting a man at Alexandra on September 5.
The assault charge was laid under the Summary Offences act and Judge Michael Turner dismissed it after police confirmed the defendant met the criteria for diversion.
The court was told Millis and the victim got into an argument about an unpaid bill owed to the defendant. Millis punched the victim and then pushed the man with his elbow.
At his last court appearance, the defendant had been granted an interim order for name suppression and he sought final suppression of his name this time, which was opposed by the Otago Daily Times.
Judge Turner said the defendant failed to make his case that publication of his name would cause him extreme hardship or undue hardship.
''I am aware that the diversion programme usually is a matter which is of little significance to the media but in this case, it's attracted attention becuase of the defendant's standing in the community.''
Being a well-known individual or a person with a high public profile was not in itself grounds for suppression, Judge Turner said.
Millis could be seen as a community leader, a person who held himself up as a person with integrity and good character. He could not expect the court to ''conceal'' the aspects of his character that were contrary to the public's expectation.
The defendant is one of two people representing the Earnscleugh-Manuherikia area on the community board. He also served a term on the Alexandra Community Board (which evolved into the Vincent Board) from 2004-2007 and was a Central Otago District Councillor from 2004-2007.
Judge Turner said diversion was a scheme run by New Zealand police to divert offenders away from the court system for ''low-level offending''.
To be eligible for diversion the person had to accept responsibiity for their conduct and agree to fulfil certain conditions in exchange for the charges being withdrawn or dismissed.
Judge Turner suppressed some of the details in the case.
Approached by the Otago Daily Times following Millis' court appearance, Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper said he had no comment to make at this stage.
