Supporters of an Auckland rest home worker accused of gagging an elderly rest home resident lashed out at media photographers minutes after she appeared in court in Auckland today.
The accused woman, 60, had her name suppressed when she appeared in Auckland District Court charged with assaulting the resident after a picture of her taken by a tradesman on a mobile phone appeared in a Sunday newspaper.
The worker allegedly gagged the resident at the Belhaven Rest Home, Epsom, because she was being "too noisy".
Defence lawyer Geoff Wells said the accused, a cook and caregiver at the rest home, would plead not guilty.
He said her reputation would be unfairly damaged and her chances of future employment harmed if her name was published and associated with the photograph of the gagged resident.
He said a police witness, who had spent a lot of time visiting his mother at the rest home, had said the accused woman was very pleasant, had a heart of gold and he had never seen her angry or stressed out.
He said her reputation should be protected until a court determined in a proper hearing if that protection should remain.
Judge Jan Doogue agreed saying the woman was entitled to the presumption of innocence and she continued the interim suppression order until her next appearance in October.
Minutes later as she left court her supporters abused news cameramen and told them to "f... off".
One of her supporters threw a drink over an NZPA photographer and another threatened television cameramen.
