Source: Radio New Zealand
The man is due to appear in court again in June. RNZ / Richard Tindiller
A Wellington businessman who had pleaded not guilty to posting harmful digital communications has had his name suppression continued.
The 57-year-old man appeared in Wellington District Court last month charged with making a Facebook post that would cause harm to an ordinary or reasonable person and that in doing so, caused serious emotional distress.
In court it was agreed that Judge Bruce Davidson would consider the matter of the accused’s suppression based on written submissions from the parties involved.
In a judgement released on Thursday, Judge Davidson said the defendant argued that there was a “real and appreciable risk” that publication of his name would cause him and his family “extreme hardship, endanger his safety, and lead to identification of the victim/witness of the alleged offending”.
The charge related to an alleged offence on 13 January, 2026 in Wellington.
The defendant denies the charge, claiming he was not responsible for the social media post.
The judge’s decision stated that the alleged victim said the post was completely untrue and highly defamatory, and that there was a high level of stress and anxiety, both personally and professionally, arising from such offensive and unfounded allegations.
The judge said the defendant accepted he has openly sought publicity in a variety of ways.
“He is undeserving of suppression.
“He has openly courted publicity and the suggestion that publication of his name would cause him extreme hardship is fatuous.”
However, he said if the defendant’s name was published there was a real risk it could identify the alleged victim.
“As unconscionable as it sounds, by allegedly making such a dreadful Facebook post about his alleged victim, the defendant’s name, in the interim at least, must be suppressed to prevent the risk of further reputational and emotional damage” to the alleged victim.
The interim suppression would therefore remain in place.
Interim name suppression continues for the alleged victim.
The man is due to reappear in court in June.
The accused faces a maximum penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
