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A high-profile sportsman has appeared in the Wellington District Court on charges including resisting police in an incident where the man was bitten by a police dog.
He also faced counts of assault with intent to injure, injuring a police dog, and causing loss by deception when he appeared on Monday morning.
He was granted interim name suppression and remanded on bail to reappear on August 17.
The charges stem from an incident in the Wellington suburb of Rongotai early on Saturday morning.
The New Zealand Herald reports it happened over an allegedly unpaid taxi fare.
Police said in a statement neither the victim nor police dog required attention for any injuries.
However, the man was treated in hospital after being bitten by the dog during his arrest.
Journalist ‘shoved’
A person accompanying the sportsman reportedly shoved a journalist outside the courtroom.
A group of reporters and camerapeople were taking pictures of the accused as he entered the building.
A woman who appeared to be with him stepped towards media demanding that they stop taking pictures.
The man repeatedly asked her to stop interceding.
When a reporter asked the man if he had anything to say, the woman appeared to try to bat away the reporter's phone which was being used to record, hitting the journalist in the face.
The reporter did not appear to be injured.
