Radio prankster to appear on both sides over Jetstar scrap

Radio host Iain Stables appeared in the Manukau District Court today. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Radio DJ Iain Stables will give evidence against the man accused of assaulting him after he missed a flight at Auckland Airport.

Stables, 38, has also been charged in relation to the altercation, and is accused of disorderly behaviour likely to incite violence.

He made a brief appearance at the Manukau District Court on Thursday.

Stables was asked by Judge Ajit Swaran Singh if he objected to a media application to photograph him in court.

He replied: "Absolutely not."

Outside court, his lawyer Scott Leith said he would be seeking statements made by Jetstar staff soon after the alleged assault took place.

It is understood Stables turned up to the airport late for a flight from Auckland to Wellington in October.

He was told he could not get on the flight, and reacted by calling Jetstar a "loser airline".

Stables was then allegedly assaulted.

He was taken to hospital with concussion and was also treated for cuts and bruises in Wellington.

The man charged with assaulting him is Patrick Joseph Ulberg.

Ulberg worked for Skycare, the company that operates the check-in desks for Jetstar.

He has pleaded not guilty and will appear next Tuesday at the Manukau District Court, where Stables will give evidence.

Stables is known for radio pranks. He shut three Northland beaches in 2004 by telling lifeguards there were sharks and a sewage spill.

In 2000, he was fined $1100 for impersonating an Interpol detective and telling Los Angeles police that his then co-workers - who were trying to enter the United States - had kiwi eggs hidden in their "rear cavities".

He also took on the Auckland City Council with a campaign to have a swing ball set replace the tree on One Tree Hill in 2005.

Stables had been due to take up a position with Radio Hauraki late last year but his contract was terminated before his first day. Mr Leith said at the time that The Radio Network had cancelled it because of publicity over the airport incident.

The Herald on Sunday has reported that Stables is suing TRN.

Stables' lawyer for the civil action is Aaron Nicholls, who said he did not have instructions from his client to talk to the media.