Man loses name suppression on sex charges

The sex-accused stage hand appeared in Hastings District Court on Tuesday. Photo File

Name suppression has lapsed for a sex-accused stage hand who wanted to keep his identity secret to protect ticket sales in a production he was involved with.

Hawke's Bay Today can now reveal Napier man Paul John Collier has been charged with committing an indecent act on a female teenager and sexual connection with a young person.

The 53-year-old appeared in the Hastings District Court on Tuesday where his defence lawyer Matthew Dixon applied for continued interim name suppression.

The court heard the man, who was supported by his mother in court, sought continued name suppression because he believed it could affect ticket sales of the pending dramatic production of Oliver, a Napier Operatic Society production which he claimed to have been involved in.

Oliver director James McCaffrey told Hawke's Bay Today Collier was not involved in the production.

Mr Dixon said the production was a family affair and the accused was a lighting technician but had since ceased his involvement.

There was a concern about the "flow-on effect" that publication of the defendant's name would have on ticket sales of the production.

Judge Tony Adeane declined the application, saying the starting point in cases of such kind was that the courts should operate in an open and public manner.

He said embarrassment to family members was not an uncommon side-effect of alleged offending and it was important the matter be publicly dealt with.

Mr Dixon sought continued name suppression for 72 hours pending an appeal but this lapsed today as the appeal was not pursued.

The charges are not representative and relate to alleged incidents in November last year.

In an earlier appearance this month Collier pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected a jury trial.

He will next appear on May 18 in the Napier District Court for a case-review hearing.