Assault accused retains suppression

The name of a woman facing two charges of assaulting a child remains suppressed after the High Court granted her leave to take the issue to the Court of Appeal.

The 34-year-old is charged with assaulting a boy in Whangarei between January 1 and December 31, 2010, and assaulting the same boy with intent to injure him on June 1, 2011.

She has elected trial by jury.

Name suppression was lifted at a hearing in the Gisborne District Court last week. The woman appealed to the High Court at Gisborne, where she has been living.

Justice Mark Woolford declined the appeal and the woman sought leave to take her case to the Court of Appeal.

Justice Timothy Brewer yesterday made an order half an hour before interim suppression was to lapse, extending it until noon today.

And this morning he granted the woman leave to appeal.

Name suppression will expire on January 27 unless she has lodged an appeal to the Court of Appeal.

The woman has been remanded on bail to appear in Whangarei District Court on February 15 for a post-committal conference.