Fund manager in neighbourhood ‘Macarena’ altercation named

Senior portfolio manager David McLeish is reportedly no longer pursuing a name suppression bid. Photo / Nick Reed

A fund manager involved in a violent altercation with his neighbour - and later found not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure and burglary - has been named.

David McLeish of Fisher Funds has reportedly abandoned a bid for permanent name suppression.

Judge Anna Skellern reserved her decision on continuing suppression after a hearing at Auckland District Court last September.

McLeish was acquitted after a jury trial and found not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure and burglary.

Approached for comment today, he said he did not have a statement to make.

Fisher Funds spokespeople were also approached for comment.

“This incident occurred outside of work hours and is not in any way related to Fisher Funds’ business operations,” they said today.

“We cannot comment on individual employment matters and have no further comment to make.”

The Herald previously reported that the victim of the incident was a 65-year-old who had just sold his business after a successful career and was looking forward to a motorcycling trip around Europe with his wife.

McLeish’s lawyer John Munro said the strong media interest in the case arose because his client was “white and rich”, a claim rubbished by the judge.

On Good Friday last year, McLeish placed a speaker on his roof and played the Macarena before his neighbour sprayed him with a hose, Stuff reported.

McLeish then punched his neighbour but argued he was acting in self-defence.