Prominent figure in Bay of Plenty Māori community denies family violence charges, name suppressed

The man faced two family violence charges and a driving charge when he appeared in court in Tauranga on May 26. Photo / NZME

A prominent figure in the Bay of Plenty Māori community accused of family violence offences has denied the allegations.

The defendant, who cannot be named, appeared in the Tauranga Community Magistrates’ Court today and pleaded not guilty to two charges.

The first charge was an assault on a person in family relationship, and the second was engaging in family violence against the same woman by physically abusing her while subject to a protection order.

Police alleged the offences were committed in Te Puke last month.

The maximum penalty for the first charge is two years in prison, and three years for the second.

The defendant is also charged with driving while suspended in Tauranga on April 19, his third or subsequent offence of that type.

Defence lawyer Bill Nabney told Community Magistrate Shaun Cole he had only recently been assigned and only received part of the defendant’s file on May 22 from the Public Defence Service.

Nabney said an intimated guilty plea should be entered to the driving charge and not guilty pleas to the other two charges.

He said in-court media applications and lifting of the interim name suppression order were opposed, and would need to be adjourned for a special hearing date in front a district court judge.

Nabney said he would file written submissions with supporting evidence to the court within 21 days.

Community Magistrate Cole agreed to continue the name suppression order and noted the plea instructions.

She remanded the defendant on bail to reappear in the Tauranga District Court on August 5.

A hearing date would be allocated to discuss the media applications and name suppression.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.