Powder 'protest' suppression

By KATHERINE HOBY

A 62-year-old Auckland beneficiary says he sent a letter with baby powder in it to the American ambassador as a protest over war with Iraq.

After appearing in the Auckland District Court yesterday, the man told reporters that he had sent the letter "as a protest against George W Bush".

He was arrested on Wednesday and appeared facing two charges - posting an indecent article and wasting police time.

The man did not enter a plea and was granted interim name suppression when he appeared in the Auckland District Court.

He was remanded as police consider the penalty of diversion, in which a person admits the charge, apologises, has no conviction entered but pays a donation to charity.

His lawyer, Jacqueline McClew, applied for the name suppression on the grounds that the man was in poor health.

The man was likely to have to undergo treatment this year and publication of his name could be detrimental to his health, she said.

Judge Russell Johnson said it seemed that his address at least should be suppressed because there were "plenty of people with funny views around".

He was "unsure" on suppressing the man's name.

"It seems to me that these matters have become of such public notoriety in the last few days that it would be very difficult to suppress publication of name, given the public interest," he said.

However, because police had indicated they were at least considering diversion as an option, and because there was no conviction attached to diversion, he would grant the interim suppression.

He said the prosecution was treating the offending as being at the "minor end" of the scale.

The man was remanded without plea until March 12 for police to consider diversion, and for the man to produce more information on his medical health.

Police have said detectives believe the man is not connected to three letters, one of which contained cyanide, sent to the United States Embassy and the British and Australian High Commissions.