But Judge Bergseng said that could not be dealt with today in the context of a busy district court list, instead setting a five-day trial date starting on March 11 next year.
Arguments for and against name suppression will be heard on August 18 in the same court.
His interim name suppression will continue until then and he was again remanded on bail.
The accused man in his 40s gained interim name suppression and pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year, electing trial by jury.
The victim is a 65-year-old who had just sold his business after a successful career and was looking forward to a motorcycling trip around Europe with his wife.
But he now requires ongoing hospital treatment and it remains unclear whether he will regain sight in the damaged eye.
The name of the couple and their relationship to the accused cannot yet be revealed for legal reasons.
The alleged assailant, who holds a senior management role at a firm specialising in managed funds and KiwiSaver, was arrested shortly after 7pm following the Good Friday fracas near his $3 million property in a leafy inner-city suburb.
Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Allan, of Auckland City CIB, confirmed a 44-year-old man was arrested at the scene after the altercation.
He was charged with wounding with intent to injure and burglary.
His employer declined to comment.
Police charge that he was unlawfully on the victim’s section when he committed the alleged attack. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted on the charges.
He was bailed after his arrest on Good Friday and has spent the subsequent few days at a property in north Auckland that is not his home address.
The man was scheduled to make his first appearance before a judge at the Auckland District Court in person on Thursday.
His lawyer, leading criminal barrister John Munro, instead had it dealt with quietly earlier in the week “on the papers,” meaning his client did not have to appear in open court before a judge as scheduled. Brookie appeared on Wednesday on behalf of Munro, who is in a trial.
Munro earlier sought and was granted interim name suppression for his client ahead of the client’s next appearance on May 31, a court registrar confirmed.
At a first appearance, name suppression is easy to obtain as a defendant only has to show they have an arguable case for suppression.
The bar becomes higher at subsequent appearances, where hardship or another qualifying ground must be proved.
His bail continues on the same conditions until his next appearance.
The charge of wounding with intent to injure carries a maximum possible penalty of seven years in prison.
The burglary charge arises from the police allegation he was unlawfully on a section with an intent to commit an imprisonable offence, rather than any allegation he stole or robbed the victim.
The complainant and his wife spoke exclusively to the Herald after the alleged attack.
Details of their account cannot be published at this stage in the court process due to rules around contempt of court to protect the fair trial rights of the defendant and to avoid prejudicing potential jurors.
They had flights to Europe booked for July.
“So we don’t know if that’s going to happen,” the man said.
Along with the severe damage to his left eye and eye socket, which has garnered a grim prognosis from specialists, a slight cataract has emerged on the other eye.
It remains unclear how the eye damage will affect his motorcycle licence.
The victim’s wife said the alleged attack has shattered their sense of safety at home, where they now always lock the doors.
