No charges over St Heliers death

Police guard the scene where the body of Brian Culpan was found last July. File photo / Greg Bowker

An assault charge against an investment banker in connection to the death of an elderly man in an upmarket Auckland suburb has been dropped.

Brian Lindsay Culpan, 72, was found dead at his daughter's home in St Heliers last July after an altercation with a man close to the family.

His daughter is Natalie Culpan, the director of Visage, one of the top modelling and talent agencies in New Zealand.

A 50-year-old man was charged with assault after a police investigation. But the charge was dismissed in the Auckland District Court yesterday after the police offered no evidence.

Judge Josephine Bouchier also granted the permanent name suppression for the man, who pleaded guilty to two drink driving charges, breach of bail and refusing to give a blood specimen.

One drink driving charge was for a breath alcohol result of 1084mcg of alcohol per litre of breath - the limit is 400mcg - in October 2009.

Defence lawyer Barry Hart said his client had a serious alcohol problem, drinking on a daily basis after he lost $20 million in a failed business venture.

The investment banker had received addiction counselling at the Capri Clinic and now attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings every day.

Judge Bouchier sentenced the man to 220 hours of community work, intensive supervision and disqualified him from driving for two years.

A BMW registered in the man's name may be confiscated at another court hearing on Monday. He declined to comment outside court.

Mr Culpan's death was referred to the Coroner in July and the circumstances surrounding the incident could be investigated further at an inquest hearing.