Whakatane man to face trial on 12 charges

A prominent Whakatane man accused of domestic assaults on a woman and children will face a district court jury trial later this year on more than a dozen charges.

A prima facie case was conceded at a depositions hearing in Tauranga today on 13 counts to which the defendant has pleaded not guilty.

No pleas have been entered yet on three summary jurisdiction charges which were not subject to the committal proceedings.

The man, who has had his name and occupation suppressed since he first appeared in Tauranga District Court last August, has been remanded on continued bail for callover on May 8.

He is not allowed to associate with the complainants, whose identities are also suppressed.

Community Magistrate Pat Ferguson said the question of lifting the interim suppression orders on the accused would be considered by a judge on the callover date.

"Today isn't the time," she said.

Lawyer Adam Hopkinson appeared for Fairfax Media in a bid to allow publication of the man's name and occupation.

Counsel for the defendant, Paul Mabey QC, said the decision had to be made by an out-of-town judge.

The circuit covered by Tauranga judges includes Whakatane District Court and they have declined to hear the case.

Only one witness -- the adult complainant -- was called this morning. She detailed instances of alleged violence dating back to early 1998.

Twenty written briefs of evidence were handed up by Fletcher Pilditch, prosecuting for the police. An application by NZPA to read the evidence was opposed by Mr Mabey and declined by the magistrate.

The assault accusations include using a knife as a weapon, plus kicking, pushing, grabbing and shaking the woman and pulling her hair. There are two charges of injuring with intent.

NZPA