Veitch's ex seeks ban on 'private material'

KRISTIN DUNNE-POWELL is taking legal action to block "private and confidential material" about her being published.

Tony Veitch's former partner began the legal action a day after the former television and radio presenter pleaded guilty to injuring her.

While most details still cannot be published, and the High Court file cannot be searched, the fact the case has been taken can now be reported.

Ms Dunne-Powell said yesterday that she had been forced to seek High Court protection.

"An injunction was awarded to offer protection for my privacy from what seemed like ongoing and deliberate assassination of my character."

She wanted to move on with her life in private with her friends and family.

Her legal action began at a time when she told media she believed Veitch had hired people to "dig for dirt" on her.

When Veitch pleaded guilty on April 16 to injuring Ms Dunne-Powell six other assault charges were dropped in a plea- bargain arrangement.

That night Veitch told TVNZ's Close Up that he had investigated Ms Dunne-Powell as he prepared to defend the charges: "I did some investigating and I went and I dug and I went through records and I went through disclosure and you know what . . . I had a good time and I found stuff," he said.

Asked if he was digging for dirt, Veitch said he was seeking "evidence".

The next day Ms Dunne-Powell made an urgent application to the High Court to stop "private and confidential material" being published.

Justice Graham Lang imposed a blanket ban on reporting the case on April 17, but Fairfax Media has now been given permission, despite Ms Dunne- Powell's objections, to publish limited details.

Fairfax publishes The Dominion Post, Sunday News and other newspapers and stuff.co.nz.

Justice Judith Potter varied Justice Lang's order on July 16 but gave Ms Dunne-Powell till yesterday to appeal. No appeal was filed.

The substance of Ms Dunne-Powell's claim, that publication of the information would be a breach of privacy and confidence, is still to be decided.

Veitch is named as a defendant.

Ms Dunne-Powell went to court to get the April 17 gagging order on the same day a police officer told her lawyer a Sunday News reporter had asked police about the private and confidential material.

Justice Lang then issued an injunction prohibiting disclosure of not only the information, but also the fact the proceedings had been brought and the orders he made. The judge required Veitch, and anyone else who had the private and confidential material, to hand it over within three days to an independent lawyer.

Veitch, who had paid Ms Dunne-Powell $150,000 in compensation for lost income and medical expenses, pleaded guilty to injuring her in 2006.

He was sentenced to nine months' supervision, 300 hours' community work, and fined $10,000.