Blogger challenges suppression

Cameron Slater outside the Auckland District Court where he was remanded without plea. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Name suppression should apply only for sexual crimes against children, says the blogger charged with breaching five suppression orders.

Aucklander Cameron Slater, 41, appeared in the Auckland District Court yesterday and was remanded on bail without plea for two weeks.

Slater is the first New Zealand blogger to face court rather than a warning over breaches of suppression orders.

Outside court, the Whaleoil blog writer defended his choice to publish identifying information.

"I completely stand by what I did. You pick your battles and you pick your cases. Nothing these guys did is worthy of being suppressed," he said.

Slater broke name suppression by posting pictorial clues identifying the individuals in two high-profile sex cases involving an Olympian and an entertainer. The charges relate to breaching court orders suppressing the names of the accused and one of the victims.

At the same time, a comedian appeared in the Auckland District Court charged with violating a young girl and was remanded until a post-committal conference next month.

Judge Emma Aitken renewed interim name suppression and referred to bail conditions which include staying away from three females and not having direct contact with children under 16 unless supervised by an adult who is not a witness in the case.

Slater said this was the only type of case that warranted name suppression.

"One per cent of cases I believe deserve name suppression. I believe these are cases that are sexual crimes against children."

He said rapists did not deserve identity protection, but did not directly respond to reporters' questions on the rights of rape victims.

Slater said he had 15 or 16 possible defences against the five charges he faces.

"It comes down to the letter of the law and police have to prove that I breached name suppression."