A well-known Māori figure has pleaded guilty to one charge of driving offence in the Tauranga District Court today.
The defendant is still under an interim name suppression and continues to plead not guilty to charges of domestic violence.
The figure, who was noted as prominent in Māoridom, is set to re-appear before the Tauranga district court on August 5th, where there will be a review into his not-guilty pleas and name suppression.
Below is the previous story as written by Te Ao Māori News.
A prominent figure in the Māori community has been formally charged with multiple counts of alleged domestic violence.
According to court documents, two existing charges relate to incidents alleged to have occurred on April 19th in the township of Te Puke, located in the Bay of Plenty region.
The defendant, who currently has interim name suppression, faces charges of assault on a person in a family relationship, as well as engaging in family violence while subject to a protection order.
These charges fall under legislation that seeks to protect vulnerable individuals within domestic and whānau-based settings.
The accused appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Monday morning, where Honourable Magistrate Judge Shaun Cole oversaw proceedings.
During the hearing, Judge Cole granted name suppression, citing potential hardship to the whānau and the strong personal and professional connections the defendant maintains within the wider community.
The defendant is facing charges including assault on a person in a family relationship and engaging in family violence whilst a protection order was enforced.
In his ruling, Judge Cole emphasised that the suppression order was granted to preserve the integrity and well-being of the affected parties, including both the complainant and the wider whānau.
The judge also confirmed that the defendant has been remanded at large and is required to comply with all standard bail conditions until the next stage of the legal process.
The court has scheduled the defendant’s next appearance for May 26th at the Tauranga District Court.
Further proceedings are expected to clarify the full scope of the charges and determine whether name suppression will remain in place beyond the interim period.
