Abuser's details secret

Photo / Ben Fraser

A 37-year-old-woman has been granted name suppression after being charged with verbally abusing Air NZ crew on a flight from Los Angeles to Auckland.

Blanket suppression of her details was achieved after inquiries from the Herald on Sunday led to her barrister returning to court to request such an order until her next appearance on December 16.

The barrister said the suppression had been sought "on the grounds that it is a trivial charge and there is no public interest in the case".

However, her case comes at a time when a bill making it harder to get name suppression in the courts is about to have its third and final reading after the election.

Police allege she made insulting and offensive remarks to Air NZ staff but she has told the Herald on Sunday the incident had been "blown out of all proportion".

Air NZ spokesman Mark Street confirmed a complaint was made after a passenger was verbally abusive to staff on the trans-Pacific flight which landed in Auckland on September 27.

Media law expert Steven Price said public interest was not a test judges used when granting name suppression. Defendants could argue the charge was trivial and the effect of the publication of their name would outweigh the offending. "It's patchy. I find it depends on the judge and the mood of the judge," he said.

The Criminal Procedures Bill was introduced by Justice Minister Simon Power in response to a Law Commission report calling for a more open court.