Prominent Northland leader admits assaulting two women in Whangārei

The Northland leader appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Friday for the assault charge. Photo / NZME

A prominent Northland leader has admitted assaulting two women in an incident in Whangārei.

The leader, whose name and identifying details must be kept secret for now, initially faced just one common assault charge for the September 15 incident.

However, in the Whangārei District Court on Friday, a second charge was laid for common assault against a second person in the same incident.

The Northland leader pleaded guilty to both charges, through their lawyer Sam McDonald.

McDonald asked for no convictions to be laid, giving the person a chance to apply for a discharge without conviction.

The case was transferred to Kaikohe District Court, at the request of the leader.

Judge Greg Davis asked the reason for the transfer, saying the press would likely follow the case no matter which court it was heard in.

But he allowed the transfer when told Kaikohe is where the victims live.

The person was remanded on bail until their next court appearance on November 28.

Earlier this month, an application for permanent name suppression of the Northland leader was denied in the Whangārei District Court.

Judge Gene Tomlinson said it had not been proven that extreme hardship would result from publication.

However, leave was given for McDonald to appeal the decision in the High Court, meaning the person’s details must be kept secret for now.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.