A well-known former sportsman charged with importing methamphetamine and possessing the drug for supply has appeared in the High Court in his latest bid to keep his name secret.
The man is charged with others and earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He first appeared in court in November 2019 and since then has wanted his name hidden.
Police said after the charges were laid that the man was arrested after a joint investigation by police and customs into methamphetamine supply.
He eventually argued in the district court that naming him would affect his fair trial rights and that his future income would be affected if his name was made public.
The District Court last November declined to continue suppression.
Judge Richard McIlraith said “there is simply no evidence” that fair trial rights would be breached if suppression lapsed, and that there was “no logical connection”.
The judge in the ruling noted the charges are “very serious”.
His ruling said the name suppression application did not meet the threshold required.
It is this decision that is now being appealed against in the High Court in Auckland.
The man’s lawyer, Greg Bradford, said the District Court judge “paid insufficient weight” to his client’s personal circumstances and too much weight elsewhere.
“It is my submission at this stage of proceedings that open justice needs to wait a little longer,” he told Justice Edwards.
Bradford also argued that social media plays a role in why the man’s suppression should stay.
Jessica Pridgeon appearing for the Crown said the appeal should be dismissed.
“The starting point in a suppression hearing is that publication is the norm, suppression orders are made only in restricted circumstances and the threshold is high,” she said.
She argued there was nothing “out of the ordinary in this case”.
“In this particular case the points the appellant raises to support extreme hardship grounds are ones that can be made in almost all cases,” she said.
Pridgeon also said there was no error in the District Court’s earlier ruling.
Justice Edwards has reserved her decision.
The maximum penalty for possessing methamphetamine for supply is a life sentence.
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