NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Veitch avoids jail term, says experience 'hideous'

By Edward Gay and Rachel Tiffen
Herald online·
16 Apr, 2009 01:47 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Broadcaster Tony Veitch. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Broadcaster Tony Veitch. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Broadcaster Tony Veitch has escaped a jail term after pleading guilty to reckless disregard causing injury over an assault on his former partner.

Outside Auckland District Court, the former TVNZ and Radio Sport host said the past year had been a "hideous time for his family".

He said his assault on Kristin Dunne-Powell had been out of character and that he had misguidedly believed they parted on good terms.

Veitch earlier today admitted kicking Ms Dunne-Powell while she was on the ground, breaking her back.

Key points:

* Veitch admits one charge, six others dropped
* Sentenced to community service and fined
* Former partner says still traumatised
* Veitch says past year 'hideous'
* Veitch vows legal action against media
* Radio Sport will begin negotiations with Veitch

Read more:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kristin Dunne-Powell's statement

Veitch's statement to media

How the Veitch story unfolded

Ms Dunne-Powell's spine was fractured in two places and she temporarily had to use a wheel-chair and crutches.

Six other charges of assault over allegations Veitch beat up Ms Dunne-Powell during their 2002-2006 relationship were today dropped.

Judge Jan Doogue sentenced Veitch to nine months supervision and 300 hours of community service and imposed a $10,000 fine. Veitch's probation officer will decide whether an anger management course is necessary.

The reckless disregard causing injury charge he admitted carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The night of the assault

Ms Dunne-Powell read out a victim impact statement to the court this morning.

She said she had suffered physical and psychological harm for which she was still undergoing counselling.

The court heard that Veitch injured Ms Dunne-Powell when she went to visit him on January 29, 2006.

Discover more

Opinion

Would you like to see Tony Veitch return to television?

15 Apr 10:50 PM

Crown prosecutor John Dickson said before the argument, Ms Dunne-Powell had read a text on Veitch's cell phone.

But he said that provoked the argument but not the assault.

"Nothing she did justified what he did which was kick her in the back when she was on the ground," Mr Dickson said.

Stuart Grieve, QC, said the assault had occurred "in a context with elements of provocation".

He cited notes from a counselling session that the two attended two days after the assault took place.

Mr Grieve said Ms Dunne-Powell had told the counsellor that she had gone through Veitch's cell phone while he was out of the room.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said Ms Dunne-Powell told the counsellor that she had issues of trust.

They had a heated argument after which he kicked her in the back while she lay on the floor.

Veitch then crouched down on the floor next to her and asked if she was OK and she said that she wasn't.

During the night Ms Dunne-Powell woke up in considerable pain. The two then went to hospital where it was found that as a result of the assault she had a traumatic haematoma and one or two fractures of the spine.

The court was full with some members of the public having to stand and about 24 journalists filling the jury box. Veitch was supported by his wife Zoe Halford.

Veitch speaks to media

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He told media that he had undertaken counselling after the assault which he described as out of character.

"That is not me and it will never be me again. I wish I had handled things differently that night," Veitch said.

He said he told his family, wife and later his employers at TVNZ and Radio Sport about what he had done and paid the $150,000 to Kristin Dunne-Powell to ensure his wedding went ahead.

"What still confounds me, and even today it still confounds me, is my misguided belief that Kristin and I actually parted on good terms," Veitch said.

He said he remained in contact with Ms Donne-Powell for 13 months after the relationship ended.

He said he was looking forward to working with charities as part of his sentence.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Veitch said he would be taking legal action against some media organisations who he said had run stories without sources.

He declined to answer any questions from the media.

One of his former employers, Bill Francis, The Radio Network's general manager of talk, said the company will begin discussions with the former Radio Sport presenter about future employment.

Sentencing decision

Judge Doogue said she took into account Veitch's lack of premeditation in attacking Ms Dunne-Powell and his remorse when sentencing him.

The fact that Veitch did not intend to cause the injury and it was "a singular act of short duration", were also mitigating factors.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, she stressed "it was an act of violence on an innocent party".

Referring to submissions from Stuart Grieve QC where he told the court that Veitch was curled up on a bed with his hands clamped over his ears during an argument between the couple, Judge Doogue said: "Nothing she did justified what you did that night."

She said: "Aggravating factors were the vulnerability of Ms Dunne-Powell at the time of the attack and the fact that she was kicked in a vulnerable part of her body and the long lasting effect on her psychological quality of life."

In October 2007, Ms Dunne-Powell's solicitors wrote to Veitch asking for money to cover medical expenses of over $100,000 and a donation of $5000 to the domestic violence charity, Preventing Violence in the Home.

This request led to a $150,000 payment which included a confidentiality clause. Veitch had made two earlier payments of $2000 and $10,000 to Ms Dunne Powell.

Judge Doogue said these were "substantial payments made for genuine reasons related to her wellbeing".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She told Veitch that despite the ongoing media and public interest: "You are the architect of your own misfortune."

Those living in the public eye suffer when they fall from grace, she said.

Hearing brought forward

Veitch was to appear for a depositions hearing at the court on Monday.

But an email sent from the court yesterday evening said the case had been "brought on" and Veitch would appear today.

It is understood Veitch's appearance followed a plea-bargaining process.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Outside court today, Veitch said he had been looking forward to his "day in court" but that would have been up to two years away.

The original seven charges laid against Veitch related to alleged assaults against Ms Dunne-Powell at Auckland and Mangawhai, north of Auckland, between 2003 and 2006.

After his first court appearance in August last year, Veitch vowed to defend the charges.

"I'm shocked and saddened that it's got this far in terms of all the allegations and charges ... I'm determined more than ever to fight to clear my name," he said.

ORIGINAL CHARGES

Injuring with reckless disregard:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

January 29, 2006.

Male assaults female:

December 18, 2006, at Auckland.

Dropped

Male assaults female:

November 5, 2005, at Auckland.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Dropped

Male assaults female:

July 8, 2005, at Auckland.

Dropped

Male assaults female:

June 3-4, 2005, at Rotorua.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Dropped

Male assaults female:

Between April 14, 2003, and April 9, 2005, at Mangawhai.

Dropped

Male assaults female:

Between March 15, 2002, and April 19, 2003, at Auckland.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Dropped

- With NEWSTALK ZB

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Watch: Major highway blocked by slip, Auckland flights delayed as intense storm strikes

09 May 08:09 AM
Crime

Man's 11-day crime spree targets police by spitting and threatening to kill staff

09 May 08:00 AM
New Zealand

Auckland War Memorial Museum closed to public after asbestos discovery

09 May 07:49 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Watch: Major highway blocked by slip, Auckland flights delayed as intense storm strikes

Watch: Major highway blocked by slip, Auckland flights delayed as intense storm strikes

09 May 08:09 AM

Motorists are being warned to expect hazardous driving conditions.

Man's 11-day crime spree targets police by spitting and threatening to kill staff

Man's 11-day crime spree targets police by spitting and threatening to kill staff

09 May 08:00 AM
Auckland War Memorial Museum closed to public after asbestos discovery

Auckland War Memorial Museum closed to public after asbestos discovery

09 May 07:49 AM
'We've had enough': Red Square protest opposes pay equity changes

'We've had enough': Red Square protest opposes pay equity changes

09 May 07:21 AM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP