Convicted criminal to have name suppression lifted

Photo / File

Name suppression for a Marlborough man convicted of 35 serious sexual, drug and objectionable image-related crimes will be lifted at noon on Friday.

The man, in his mid-60s, was found guilty in the High Court at Nelson last Thursday.

His lawyer Rob Harrison asked the judge to continue an interim name suppression order in place since his client first faced court in 2012.

The name suppression issue was taken to the Court of Appeal.

At the Court of Appeal in Wellington today, Mr Harrison argued publication of his client's name would cause extreme hardship for one of the man's "fragile" elderly relatives.

Mr Harrison also said lifting suppression would create a risk of prejudicing a possible retrial.

But the Court of Appeal said today there was not enough evidence to uphold the appeal on grounds of either extreme hardship or the risk of prejudicing a possible retrial.

"We agree with the Crown's submission that this second ground is entirely speculative ... [the man] has not yet appealed against his conviction," Justice Wild said.

"In our view a real risk of prejudice to a fair retrial, if one were ever ordered, is not made out." However, the Court of Appeal agreed to a "period of grace" so the man could tell his elderly relative of the conviction.

Mr Harrison said it would potentially take some time to communicate the news of last Thursday's guilty verdicts to the relative.

His client had so far been incapable of bringing himself to tell the elderly relative of last Thursday's conviction.

Mr Harrison said his client was considering appealing against his conviction, partly on the basis of his claims there were serious issues with the credibility and reliability of complainants.

The man is expected to be sentenced on February 20.