Dom Post Editorial gets it wrong

I am amazed that an actual editorial in the Dominion Post can make such a huge error.

The editorial says in reference to the hammer road rage case “Incredibly, he was given name suppression because a close relative was alleged to have an important weekend sports fixture. Oh, and his father was not well.

This is absolutely incorrect. Judge Harvey denied name suppression as seen in this article where he is quoted as saying “he would not be prepared to grant suppression”.

The defendant is appealing Judge Harvey’s decision, and hence this has triggered temporary name suppression until the High Court hears the issue. Temporary name suppression has to be given otherwise an appeal is pointless.

One expects the odd mistake in stories written with the rush of a deadline, but for an editorial to have such a massive mistake in it is very rare.