Road-rage case: Man charged after High Court Judge pushed to ground in alleged traffic altercation

Police allege Justice Mary Peters who sits in the High Court at Auckland, was injured when a man pushed her following a traffic altercation. NZ Herald photograph by Nick Reed

A man has appeared before the courts after allegedly pushing a High Court Judge to the ground following a traffic incident.

James Lawrence Beaumont Gilliland, 29, is facing a charge of injuring a woman "with reckless disregard for the safety of others" following an alleged altercation earlier this month.

The alleged victim is Justice Mary Peters who sits in the High Court at Auckland.

The Herald has learned that on May 9 Gilliland, a computer programmer, was walking in Auckland city when Justice Peters drove in front of him.

A source said he believed she had not given way to him, a pedestrian, so he allegedly kicked her car.

Justice Peters then approached Gilliland and he "pushed her to the ground with two hands".

It is not clear what injuries Justice Peters sustained.

She did not want to comment on the alleged incident as it was before the courts.

Gilliland appeared in the Auckland District Court this morning before a registrar.

He did not enter a plea and his lawyer Emma Priest sought a two-week remand so that police diversion and "a reduction of charges" could be considered.

Gilliland, a computer programmer, will reappear in court on May 29.

Justice Peters was appointed as a High Court Judge in 2010.