Prominent Northland businessman charged with sexual offending keeps name suppressed

1:40 pm on 19 December 2025

Shannon Pitman, Open Justice reporter

First published on

The man will face two trials related to four complainants. Photo: Open Justice / Shannon Pitman

WARNING: This article discusses allegations of sexual abuse and may be upsetting to some readers.

A prominent Northland businessman facing sexual offending charges has secured name suppression after a four-month legal battle, with a judge ruling his right to a fair trial must come before public interest.

Judge John McDonald delivered the decision in the Whangārei District Court last week, confirming the man's identity and business links would remain concealed until his first trial began late next year.

The businessman has been appearing in court since he was arrested in August on several charges of alleged indecent assaults on a female.

When police executed a search warrant, the man allegedly refused to hand over details to his digital devices, and he was also charged with failing to carry out obligations in relation to an arrest warrant.

The man was remanded into custody and, days later, further charges were laid relating to three further complainants, including one of rape.

His bail was refused along with name suppression, both of which the man appealed.

After several hearings relating to suppression and two lawyer changes, the man's new counsel, John Munro, requested the charges be split across two trials due to the range of time frames, complainants' ages and circumstances of the allegations.

The Crown accepted that the man would need to have two trials.

A hearing was then held before Judge McDonald to finalise the name suppression order.

He ruled that the man's right to a fair trial took precedence over public interest and formally suppressed his name and business details until the commencement of his first trial.

The man was also granted bail.