Police seek advice on charging blogger

Police are seeking legal advice on whether to lay further charges against blogger Cameron Slater for breaching suppression orders.

Solicitor-General David Collins said yesterday he would not pursue contempt of court charges against Slater at this stage, but invited police to investigate whether to charge him further under the Criminal Justice Act.

Slater was already facing five charges relating to breaching suppression orders, identifying two prominent New Zealanders accused in separate sex offence cases.

Police were now investigating him again after he posted a coded message naming a person given suppression by Nelson District Court while on bail.

Nelson Bays police area commander Detective Inspector John Winter said today the matter would be referred back to a Crown solicitor in Auckland.

Mr Collins said he supported the action police had already taken and invited them to determine whether to charge Slater over the Nelson case.

Contempt proceedings remained an option, he said.

Such proceedings would likely be brought if Slater's offending escalated or if it was on-going after criminal prosecutions had been disposed of, Mr Collins said.

- NZPA