A Dunedin businessman has avoided a conviction for assaulting his daughter — and his identity can never be revealed.
The man, aged in his 60s, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier admitting a charge of assault in a family relationship.
He applied for a discharge without conviction and final name suppression and argued if they were not granted, there would be severe consequences for his business as well as his family.
The court heard that on November 12, the defendant’s daughter was visiting his home.
They had a conversation about how the woman wanted to invest her money, which had been an ongoing discussion between the pair.
It reached a point where the daughter did not want to continue the conversation and went to her bedroom.
Minutes later, the defendant followed.
He became increasingly angry at the woman, got close to her and pointed his finger.
The victim attempted to move his hands away from her face, he in turn pushed at her hands but connected with her face.
She kicked out at her father before he grabbed her arm and forced it straight behind her back.
She was "certain it would break", the police summary said.
He then pushed her on to the bed and restrained her in an "arm-bar-style hold".
Counsel Sarah McClean said her client accepted the assault should not have happened but stressed it had occurred in the heat of the moment.
He had no previous convictions and was otherwise of good character, she said.
A conviction and his name being published could lead to business contracts the defendant held being terminated.
While the victim was "distressed" by the offending and worried the defendant would use his business as a shield, she was not opposed to him avoiding a conviction or getting name suppression.
Judge Emma Smith granted both applications.
The termination of the contracts would be "devastating" to the defendant, employees and others involved in the business and the offending was low level, she said.
felicity.dear@odt.co.nz , Court reporter
