A 60-year-old former Belhaven rest-home worker who was arrested last Friday has been granted interim name suppression for fear of tainting her "good reputation".
The woman appeared in the Auckland District Court yesterday on an assault charge after the Sunday News printed a photograph of a gagged elderly
woman living at the Epsom rest home, which has since closed.
Defence lawyer Geoff Wells told Judge Emma Aitkinson the woman's reputation shouldn't be ruined over allegations.
"The concern has always been the media impression of the alleged offender as someone who has taped over someone's mouth," he said.
"Until it's determined that she's responsible or has a degree of responsibility, it would not be appropriate for her identity to be associated with such a public image, which when all the facts are available, would not be warranted."
Police prosecutor Louise Robb was also granted her request of a suppression order for the victim of the rest-home gagging.
The woman was granted bail without plea, but had to surrender her passport to police and stay at the same residence until her next court appearance on August 6.
The police investigation started on June 30.
It was revealed that the arrested woman was a cook at the rest home. She was not qualified to look after the residents but was sometimes asked to.
The woman reportedly told One News the day after the gagging that the elderly resident put the tape on her own mouth, but she regretted "pressing the tape back down" when the resident tried to remove it.
The rest home was shut down by the Auckland District Health Board last week.
