Judge: Why Ranger can be named

Rene Ranger. Photo / Northern Advocate

A High Court judge has said star Auckland rugby player Rene Ranger had no more right to anonymity than anyone else charged with assault.

Last week in the High Court at Whangarei, Justice Warwick Gendall rejected an appeal against the lifting of interim name suppression and it lapsed on Monday.

According to the oral judgment, suppression was granted for Ranger's first appearance because naming him might end his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union.

But Justice Gendall said Ranger did not present a special case for name suppression, and the union knew of the charges.

"As Mr Fairley [Ranger's lawyer] properly acknowledged the appellant is in no special or different position to any other person charged with crimes such as these, simply because he earns his living playing rugby and Mr Fairley acknowledges courts cannot create a special class of defendant."

Justice Gendall also pointed out that when Ranger was interviewed by police he was accompanied by a rugby union official "who would be well aware of the nature of the allegations".

He also said that electing a jury trial did not improve Ranger's chances of name suppression by reason of publication jeopardising a fair hearing.

Arthur Fairley had also argued that any media coverage might hinder Ranger's chances of overseas contracts.

The 25-year-old is before the courts in relation to an alleged assault in the carpark of a Mangawhai pub that left a man in need of medical treatment.

He appeared in the Warkworth District Court in October charged with injuring with intent to injure.