The son of a New Zealand music luminary has denied attacking his uncle.
Nicholas "Nikko" Jeremiah Chunn, 38, appeared in Auckland District Court this afternoon after being charged with assaulting Timothy Sheahan last month.
Chunn, son of former Split Enz star Mike Chunn and half-brother of Black Cap Jimmy Neesham, is on bail after the alleged attack, which is understood to have happened in Ponsonby at the end of October.
After entering a plea of not guilty on behalf of her client, defence lawyer Mary Kennedy said the case had been "enormously distressing" for the defendant.
However, little more could be discussed about the case because both she and Judge Ema Aitken said they knew members of the Chunn family and witnesses who would be called in the event of a trial.