Celeb name suppression brings web row

Police are investigating a breach of name suppression in the case of the "household name" charged with disorderly conduct.

And it may not be the only one they have to check - an internet battle is being waged to get his name into cyberspace with his Wikipedia profile being altered, and then realtered, repeatedly.

The 46-year-old man was arrested last month. The New Zealand Herald reported he had jumped on to the bonnet of a car during a blazing row with his wife in downtown Auckland on December 29. The incident was witnessed by a police officer in the vicinity and Mr Devlin was charged.

A spokesman for police national headquarters said: "Auckland central police were notified yesterday of an alleged breach of name suppression on the internet in relation to this case which is currently being assessed."

But the Herald on Sunday has discovered numerous breaches of the name suppression online. They include a TV journalist posting the celebrity's name on Twitter. It has since been removed.

The celebrity's Wikipedia page has also been altered at least seven times since his court appearance in an apparent battle between internet users trying to reveal his identity. Each time the information is added, it is deleted.

The celebrity's lawyer, Jenny Smith, said: "When suppression orders are in place people have to abide by them. I am sure the police will investigate and things will take their course."

Smith will be back in the Auckland District Court tomorrow on the name suppression issue. A final hearing on suppression was due next month, but Smith has brought the date forward. She would not say why. The man has been offered police diversion, which can be granted to first-time offenders and lets them escape conviction if they admit the charge and possibly undertake community work.

Prosecutions for breaches of suppression, which carry a maximum penalty of $1000, are quite rare.