Accused bigamist to keep name secret for now

The man was charged in the Porirua District Court. Photo / File

An accused bigamist has had his name suppression extended again.

The Porirua man, 48, was granted interim name suppression in the Porirua District Court at his last appearance in November, for reasons that were also suppressed.

The issue of continued name suppression was due to be argued properly in court today, but the matter was put off without hearing.

He has previously pleaded not guilty to charges of bigamy and obtaining by deception.

According to the man's charging document, he is accused of entering into a marriage with a woman in January last year while being married to another person.

The complainant also has interim name suppression.

At the previous hearing, Judge James Johnston ordered a mental health report exploring insanity and the defendant's fitness to plead.

The man did not appear in person in court this afternoon, but his attendance was excused by Judge Johnston.

He will appear in February where the suppression issue is expected to be fully argued.

According to Rainey Collins Lawyers, bigamy carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, and is an offence because it is considered to represent a threat to public morality and to compromise the institution of marriage.

"When a person who is already married marries another person, both parties to the second marriage are committing a crime, irrespective of where in the world the second marriage took place," they said in a post on their website.

"The only defence to the crime of bigamy is if the first spouse has been absent for seven years, and is believed to be dead."