Prominent Northlander on 54 charges including arson

Photo / APN

A well-known Northland man is facing 54 charges, including arson, sexual violation, assault, threatening to kill, injuring with intent, attempting to pervert the course of justice and making a false complaint to police.

The man was granted interim name suppression when he appeared in the Kaitaia District Court.

He was remanded in custody to reappear next Saturday when his lawyer, Ken Bailey, will apply for bail.

The man is facing one charge of attempted arson, two of arson, five of using a document, three of sexual violation, three of threatening to kill and 13 of assault with a weapon (including a belt, quad bike, length of pipe, a knife, a hammer, a shovel and a plate).

He also faces 10 counts of assaulting a female, one of wilfully ill-treating a child, three of assaulting a child, three of assault, one of assault with intent to injure, one of attempting to pervert the course of justice and six of making a false complaint to police.

The offences were alleged to have occurred at a number of locations around Northland between 1987 and 2009.

In making the application for interim name suppression before justice of the peace Ann Kitchen, Mr Bailey said publication of his client's name would identify complainants.

The defendant had a relatively high public profile, no previous convictions and should be entitled to make a formal application before a district court judge.

Mr Bailey said all the charges would be "completely and utterly denied" and the man alleged the complaints against him were made to the police out of malice.

Police prosecutor Duncan Coleman opposed bail, saying more charges might be laid against the man in the future.

Thursday's arrest came after an investigation last week by a team of 10 detectives.

- APN