Skelton appears in court on January 23. Photo / Sarah Ivey
A High Court Judge has reserved his decision in a bid by kidnap-accused mother Kaye Skelton to have detrimental Family Court decisions suppressed.
Her lawyer, Barry Hart, said his client had been "demonised" while Jayden's biological father, Christopher Jones, had been painted as a "goody goody".
Lawyers for
Skelton appeared before Justice Paul Heath in the High Court at Hamilton today to argue the publication of the decisions prejudiced any future trial on the kidnap charges.
Skelton is alleged to have taken part in the abduction of her son, Jayden Headley, from outside Hamilton Public Library in August.
Jayden was surrendered to Hamilton Police by his grandfather, Dick Headley, on January 23.
Mr Headley also faces a charge of kidnapping. He is in custody, but was expected to appear in Hamilton District Court for a bail hearing this afternoon.
On January 24, the Principal Family Court Judge released judgments of decisions involving Skelton, which subsequently received wide media coverage, including on nzherald.co.nz.
But Mr Hart, said his client had been "somewhat surprised and shocked" by the release of the decisions, and sought the immediate removal of the decisions from the Justice Department website, a ban on further publication of the decisions and a ban on the release of any further Family Court material.
The decisions would likely jeopardise a fair trial as Skelton had been "demonised", while The Family Court decisions were "unflattering and quite merciless" toward Skelton, Mr Hart said.
"We can't do anything about the damage that has occurred... but it is hoped that the damage that has been done can at least be contained."
Solicitor General David Collins, QC, appeared at this morning's hearing on behalf of the Attorney General.
He rejected a claim by Mr Hart that the Family Court should have given notice of its intention to release the decisions, as there was no legal requirement to do so.
Whether or not Skelton had been given the opportunity to oppose the release of the documents, "the outcome would have been inevitable.
It is not known when Justice Heath's decision will be available.
