Sitting here reading the paper this morning and I read the usual tales of woe and angst. Skimming through a couple of stories and a glaring example of preferential treatment by our courts leapt out at me. How the hell can two standards apply, given the charges are the same...
In the first case a woman twaked a bully that had beaten up her daughter...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10769778
"Mellissa Anderson is alleged to have slapped one of two 14-year-old girls who attacked her 13-year-old daughter Summer outside Kaipara College in Helensville on Friday afternoon."
Her lawyer sought name suppression and the court decided...
"Community magistrate Dianne Hale said she sympathised with the requests but ruled it was in the interests of "open justice" to continue without suppression. "Courts are open and fair for people to attend.""
The second case involves an ex All Black that is appearing in court charged with assault on a child...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10769780
"It is believed the case is one of excessive discipline, and the former player has been ordered to undergo anger management counselling before he next appears in court."
"He was reportedly granted name suppression because of his standing in sporting circles and in the community as well as to protect the identity of the complainant."
So, the complainant in the first case, a 14 year old girl, that grantedly is a troubled soul, is not considered important enough to protect her identity, but the one in the second needs protecting?
This is an issue that really needs to be sorted out. It is time that an even had is dealt to anyone coming through the courts, and by even I mean the same rule for all. Just because you are "well known" publically does not mean that it is any more embarrassing for you to have your name out there than it is for Jo Average in their day to day lives.
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