'Fair Go' bashing accused in court

Gordon Harcourt. Photo / Supplied

The Tauranga man accused of assaulting a Fair Go reporter has appeared in court this morning.

The 47-year-old company director, charged with facing charges of assault and intentional damage, was granted interim name suppression during a brief appearance in Tauranga District Court.

Gordon Harcourt was allegedly assaulted while filming outside a Mt Maunganui car dealership last Friday.

Dressed in jeans and a black jacket, the man declined to comment while leaving court, as did his lawyer, Bill Nabney.

The man was remanded on bail to reappear on August 18.

A shame my glasses were 'munted'

Speaking for the first time about the incident, Mr Harcourt said it was a shame his glasses were "munted".

Mr Harcourt was left with a black eye, a bleeding nose and a suspected concussion after being punched three times while filming an investigation into a car dealership, which screened last night.

Speaking about last Friday's scuffle on Breakfast, a black-eyed Harcourt said he had spoken to journalists over the weekend but had told them he wasn't saying anything until after today's court appearance.

However, Harcourt went into some detail about the confrontation on the show yesterday morning.

Looking at a video of the attack, showing Harcourt afterward with blood running from his nose to his chin, he said: "It's interesting, looking at those pictures, I noticed how far away we were from the premises ... We were seconds out of the car and three gentlemen, how can I put it, approached me and my cameraman colleague and the incident ensued ... and during it I received three blows to the face.

"We were in a little bit of a fracas over the camera which one of the gentlemen were paying particular attention to, and I was really highly motivated not to let him get the camera."

Harcourt, who has been working this week, said he was now feeling okay, but had "a very sore head" over the weekend.

"My glasses got pretty munted, that's a shame, so this is the back-up here," he said referring to his spectacles.

"We were merely seeking to film on public property. I wasn't setting foot on this guy's property, I had no intention of doing so, we were approached from a significant distance from the premises in question."

Harcourt said the publicity over the incident had made last night's story, intended to illustrate "irresponsible lending", "much, much bigger" than it was on Friday.