The lawyer for a high-profile public servant who was yesterday acquitted of assault says it is "outrageous" that a prominent Auckland blogger has named his client on a website, despite a suppression order banning publication.
The public servant was yesterday granted permanent suppression of his name and occupation after a Wellington District Court jury found him not guilty of assaulting his teenage son in August, 2008.
Judge Christopher Harding said lifting an interim suppression order would inevitably lead to the identification of the man's son, whose name is also suppressed, and adversely impact his reputation and his family's right to privacy.
There would be "little or no interest" in the case were it not for the man's position, he said.
The man's identity was revealed during the trial last week by the Auckland blogger who is already facing five charges for breaching suppression orders.
Defence lawyer Mike Antunovic today called for action against the "renegade" who named his client.
"The whole situation is just totally outrageous and I can't understand why nothing has been done about it," he told NZPA.
"When judges make suppression orders, they mean what they say. I would've thought that anyone who deliberately breaches a judge's order ... (would) be dealt with swiftly."
Mr Antunovic questioned why the website had not been shut down.
"Why is he allowed to get away with this?
"It really goes right to the heart of the criminal justice system, doesn't it. What faith can anyone have, in whose favour an order is made suppressing their name, when some renegade like this man in Auckland can choose to deliberately release the name on his website?"
Mr Antunovic said Judge Harding had been made aware of the website.
A Crown Law spokeswoman said they were aware the man's name had been published but it was a matter for police, as breaching a suppression order is a criminal offence.
A police spokeswoman said a formal investigation had not yet been launched.
"We're aware of his breaches and we look into each and every one of them."
The blogger has appeared in court previously, pleading not guilty to five charges of breaching suppression orders.
