Two Hastings brothers were further remanded on bail on charges relating to the videoed assault of a high school student on March 30 when they appeared before the Hastings Youth Court today.
Judge Bridget Mackintosh continued suppression of the name of the school the boys and the victim
had been attending at the time of the assault.
Lawyers for both of the accused indicated that the assault charges would not be denied, although no formal pleas have been entered.
The pair have been remanded until May 30, when a group family conference will be held.
The two brothers have since been expelled from the school but the court was told that the victim had returned and was receiving counselling.
Footage of the assault, which took place away from the school on a Friday night, subsequently appeared on the YouTube website.
Lawyer Don Kennedy, appearing for one of the youths, said the brothers had been "excluded" from the school and he saw no useful purpose in continued suppression of its name.
His view was backed by lawyer Roger Phillip, representing the second accused, who said the suppression order adversely affected other schools in Hastings, adding that every school in the city knew which one the students had been attending.
The school had also been named on a "high-profile radio show" before the initial suppression order was made.
However police sergeant Dave Greig argued for suppression to continue, saying that because the victim had returned there its identification would not be in his interests and could aggravate the situation.
Judge Mackintosh said suppression would remain until May 30 but indicated she would require affadavits to support its continuation beyond that date.
Bail conditions for the accused include not having any contact with the alleged victim while on bail, including by any form of electronic device, and not inciting others to contact him. They were also not to go within 100 metres of the victim's address.
The boys were accompanied in court today by their father.
Two of their associates who were waiting in a carpark opposite the courthouse took exception to a photographer taking shots of the accused brothers and attempted to grab his camera during a brief scuffle.
- NZPA
