A former police officer and council hopeful has successfully appealed his assault conviction.
Stuart Russell McLachlan, who ran for Napier City Council in last year's local body elections, was convicted in January this year following a confrontation with a Lotto shop worker in Havelock North.
The court heard he went to the Lotto store and attempted to purchase a ticket in March 2013.
He was $1.20 short but refused to give the ticket back resulting in the victim going around to the other side of the counter and attempting to stop him from leaving the store without paying for the ticket in full. She was later pushed by the former policeman, who took the Lotto ticket and shoved it down the front of the her shirt.
He defended the charge after turning down a police offer of diversion, where he would have needed to plead guilty to escape conviction.