A teacher facing four indecent assault charges and one charge of intentionally impeding normal breathing by applying pressure to the throat will continue to have their identity suppressed until trial, despite the complainant indicating they did not oppose publication of the defendant’s name.
State-funded media reported that during a hearing in the Wellington District Court on Thursday, the judge ruled suppression should remain in place until the case is heard in October, citing the risk of extreme hardship and the likelihood the accused would be unable to secure teaching work if publicly identified, even if ultimately acquitted.
The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which relate to alleged incidents between mid-December 2024 and late February 2025. The accused is no longer employed as a teacher.
