The son of a New Zealand rich-lister has won a fight to keep his name secret after he allegedly punched a Dunedin female police officer in the face.
The police officer suffered a black eye, serious swelling to her face and needed hospital treatment.
The man was charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, assaulting a security guard and damaging a window during the March 26 incident outside the popular Dunedin student haunt Starters Bar.
He appeared in Dunedin District Court four times, without seeking name suppression, before the case was transferred to Auckland District Court.
But after questions from the Herald on Sunday, the man's lawyers filed an application for interim name suppression.
On Tuesday, Judge Anne Kiernan ordered that the man's name be kept secret for the next three weeks.
Details around that hearing have also been suppressed, but it can be reported that Judge Kiernan found publishing his name could prejudice his right to a fair trial.
The Herald on Sunday gained access to court documents, which allege the man had been involved in a drunken fight with a friend.
It is alleged about 11pm on the night, the man "became enraged by a derogatory comment" a friend made about his girlfriend.
"This led to the defendant punching a hole in a security window at the bar," the summary of facts contends.
The man then allegedly had a heated verbal argument with his girlfriend and Otago University campus security were alerted.
When the security guard intervened, the man allegedly punched him in the face. The security guard slipped and fell to his knees and he was allegedly kneed in the face.
The security officer suffered bruising, swelling and tenderness to his left eye and a cut to the elbow.
The man was eventually restrained on the ground when a passing police patrol stopped to intervene.
The summary of facts alleges the man, "who was struggling violently", then punched the female police officer in the face.
When he realised he had punched a police officer, he allegedly yelled "get off me cop".
He then allegedly punched the officer in the face three or four times, the summary of facts alleges.
After being handcuffed, the man allegedly continued to struggle violently with police and attempted to head butt the officers as well as kicking out at them.
The man will reappear in court next month when he is expected to enter a plea and a case to continue his name suppression will be considered.
Previous controversy around high-profile offenders prompted a 2010 Law Commission report in which the Government overhauled the rules for suppressing names and evidence.
It found there is no grounds for suppression based solely on the fact a defendant is well known.
- Herald on Sunday
