Young Labour camp assault: Man discharged without conviction

Young Labour camp assault: Man discharged without conviction

A 21-year-old man who admitted assaulting two young men at a Young Labour summer camp has been discharged without conviction. 

The young man was originally charged with five counts of indecent assault against four complainants, which he denied. 

However, during his trial in September, the Crown withdrew the indecent assault charges, amending them to assault, withdrew a third charge and offered no evidence on the remaining two charges. 

Auckland bartender pleads guilty to manslaughter over fatal attack on Jerico Telea

Auckland bartender pleads guilty to manslaughter over fatal attack on Jerico Telea

A bartender has admitted to killing a man in an attack over Easter weekend.

Jerico Telea, 24, was critically injured in an assault on Queen St in central Auckland about 4.20am on Easter Saturday. 

He died at Auckland City Hospital two days later.

Labour Party camp: Spat between lawyers about whether sexual offending occurred after plea deal

Labour Party camp: Spat between lawyers about whether sexual offending occurred after plea deal

Fallout from the Labour Party summer camp case continues as the lawyers involved in the trial are at odds over the details.

The prosecutor in the Labour Party summer camp trial says the Crown does not accept there was no sexual offending, despite taking a downgraded plea deal to resolve the case.

The partner at the law firm Meredith Connell, which holds the prosecution warrant for Auckland, added "the correct position" was that the Crown "did not consider it necessary in the public interest for the jury to resolve the point".

He said the defendant's plea offer came during the evidence of the second male complainant.

"It necessarily involved the defendant recognising that the touching of the two males did happen largely in the way the Crown alleged, but disputing that the defendant knew either that touching was indecent or of the circumstances that made it indecent," Johnstone said.

"And it necessarily involved the Crown accepting that if guilty pleas were entered to assaults on the two males, there was insufficient public interest in continuing the prosecution. No more than that."

More Auckland inmates approach lawyers after 'cruel and degrading' prison searches

More Auckland inmates approach lawyers after 'cruel and degrading' prison searches

More women have approached lawyers in search of compensation after prison authorities subjected them to "cruel and degrading" illegal searches.

The intrusive, unauthorised searches were carried out for a decade on female inmates at Auckland Region Women's Prison suspected of concealing contraband. The Department of Corrections in March said it had apologised to 15 women and paid them $25,000 each in compensation for the searches.

This week, Auckland lawyer Emma Priest said six women had approached her and colleague Sue Gray seeking legal advice.

Charges dropped for man accused alongside runaway lawyer of pressuring witnesses to stop talking with police

Charges dropped for man accused alongside runaway lawyer of pressuring witnesses to stop talking with police

A man jointly accused with an Auckland lawyer of attempting to pervert the course of justice by pressuring two witnesses to stop co-operating with police has seen his charges dropped.

Courtroom tears as Queen St assault accused to be charged with manslaughter

Courtroom tears as Queen St assault accused to be charged with manslaughter

A young Auckland bartender will face a manslaughter charge after allegedly assaulting a man who later died.

Joseph Antonio Halaholo Larson, 20, appeared today in the Auckland District Court to seek bail from Judge Rob Ronayne.

Jerico Telea was left in a critical condition after what police said was a serious assault on Queen St near Vulcan Lane at about 4.20am on Saturday.

The 24-year-old later died in hospital on Monday afternoon.

Sione Moala jailed two and a half years for bar attack that left victim without an eye

Sione Moala jailed two and a half years for bar attack that left victim without an eye

A 29-year-old man who viciously attacked a father outside an Auckland bar has been sentenced to two-and-a half years in prison.

Sione Moala appeared at Auckland High Court on Tuesday after being found guilty of wounding with intent to injure and fighting in a public place. He would not be eligible for parole.

Lawsuit looms after intrusive searches, $375k payout for women prisoners

Lawsuit looms after intrusive searches, $375k payout for women prisoners

Corrections has apologised to 15 women and paid them $25,000 each in compensation after inmates faced intrusive "internal searches" when they were suspected of concealing contraband.

The illegal searches were carried out for a decade - and no contraband was found.

National Commissioner Rachel Leota said she apologised "unreservedly" to the women involved.

Muslim Culture and Wellbeing Advisory Group formed

Muslim Culture and Wellbeing Advisory Group formed

JustCommunity is an organisation set up to support government services to the community across the legal and social sectors. Recent work has included a report to the UN Universal Periodic Review on Maori access to Rehabilitation and the running of a unique extremism rehabilitation program with Corrections. It has combined our knowledge of the faith and Muslim community in NZ, with multi-disciplinary knowledge and awareness to provide complex professional advice. Our website hosts information about the complex cultural needs and supports via this initiative.

First Kiwi jailed for distributing extremist propaganda granted parole

First Kiwi jailed for distributing extremist propaganda granted parole

The first New Zealander jailed for possessing and distributing extremist propaganda will be released on parole as he is no longer deemed a risk to public safety.

In June 2016 Imran Patel was jailed for three years and nine months after admitting possessing, making and distributing extremist videos.

The court heard that he disseminated the videos through text to 52 people and when police raided his home he was found with material showing extreme violence and torture.