Attack on judge sparks security review

The Ministry of Justice is reviewing its security after a judge was assaulted while hearing a case in the Nelson District Court yesterday.

Judge Geoff Ellis was punched in the body when an accused man vaulted the wooden barrier around the court dock and leaped on to the court registrar's desk and then on to the judge's bench.

The defendant had been on bail and was appearing before the judge about 10.15am on a charge of doing an indecent act in a public place and had just been granted name suppression.

The police prosecutor and police escort officer went to the aid of the judge and restrained the man.

Court proceedings were stopped briefly before the judge, visiting from Wellington, continued with his duties.

Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said he was satisfied that the officers present did everything they could in the circumstances.

"It happened in a split second. There was no indication that this person would present a risk, otherwise we would have taken the necessary precautions."

The 24-year-old man appeared in the court later in the day before another judge, charged with assault with intent to injure a judge and resisting the police prosecutor. He was remanded in custody for two weeks.

Nelson MP Nick Smith said there were long-standing concerns about the state of court facilities in the city.

"I have been highlighting for years the inadequate facilities at the Nelson courthouse that increase the risk of these sort of sad assaults."

Nelson District Court staff were instructed yesterday not to comment on the incident, but the Ministry of Justice district courts general manager, Tony Fisher, said the security arrangements in Nelson were being looked into and an incident report was being prepared.

"Security incidents in courthouses are taken very seriously by the ministry ... When an incident takes place, we review processes to prevent a recurrence."