A former All Black who has admitted he punched a woman in the face while drunk has been told by a judge for a second time that his name must be made public.
Stuff.co.nz reports the man’s name still can't be published, in case he launches another appeal against the court’s decision.
The All Black’s lawyer had argued in an earlier court hearing he was so drunk at the time that he had not realised that he had hit a woman.
The man also failed in an appeal against his sentence for the December 2019 assault – two years of intensive supervision.
Stuff.co.nz reports Justice Paul Davison’s reasoning for the decision, after an appeal in the High Court at Hamilton, cannot yet be published.
The punching incident was described as savage and appalling by Hamilton District Court sentencing judge, Judge Robert Spear, in January.
The man was extremely intoxicated and had been offered a ride home by a group of friends.
While in the car he punched the woman in the face, without warning.
As the court heard, neither the victim nor the man could remember what spurred the assault, although it was apparently sparked by a remark about a family member.
The man apologised to his victim at a restorative justice conference, saying not a day had gone by without thinking about his actions, and he paid her reparation.
She supported his bid for permanent name suppression.
[Source: Stuff.co.nz]
