A judge's decision to suppress all details of a court case involving a senior teacher and the deputy head prefect at an Auckland school is "surprising", a legal expert says.
Judge Anne Kiernan ruled the Herald on Sunday could not publish any details relating to the trial, includingthe charge, the name of the school, the name of the defendant and the jury's decision.
In her written judg ment, she said the charge was not trivial and ruled publication could not only have a "strong impact on the school and pupils" but also impair the school's board of trustees' independent investigation into disciplinary matters the teacher must face.
Canterbury University law professor and criminal law teacher Jeremy Finn said the decision to suppress all matters was "surprising".
He said the judge was within her powers to make such a ruling but "this is at odds with the trend of authority towards open justice where court cases are reported as fully as possible, consistent with protection of victims and complainants".
Finn presumed the judge had seen material justifying such a broad suppression.
The Herald on Sunday had appealed for the right to report the charge and verdict, but had agreed not to name the teacher, the school or the student, whose identity is protected by law.
The judgment acknowledged the public interest in open justice but ruled for continued suppression, saying publicity would impact on the wider community of the school, the pupils and the complainant.
