Rodney Hide: Fame should not protect offender

The real problem lies with our justice system and our judges. Photo / Thinkstock

The Prime Minister knows. The Minister of Justice knows. Journalists know. They all know the name of the "prominent New Zealander" who was charged with indecent assault, pleaded guilty to an indecent act with intent to insult or offend and was discharged without conviction.

The rich, the famous, the powerful, the connected, they all know. They have access to the best gossip.

But most people don't. And no one can tell them. Or warn them. That would be an offence.

That's because Judge David Saunders gave the man name suppression determining that he had "carried a bit of a cross" what with charges having been laid against him.

I am sure that was true. But the charges were the direct consequence of him attacking a woman in her own home. I don't share the judge's sympathy.

What of his victim? Did the judge not think she suffered? Or his possible other victims?

There may well be others too embarrassed or afraid to speak up but who would once they know one brave woman has stood up for herself.

And what of potential future victims? Don't they have a right to know the friendly, famous guy they are only too pleased to meet pleaded guilty to an indecent act?

This newspaper revealed a further danger last week: the man was looking for love on a dating site.

No doubt women on dating sites are careful. But I suspect they would drop their guard with a "prominent New Zealander".

I would have trusted Rolf Harris. I grew up a fan. We trust prominent people feeling we know them when we don't.

We don't suspect them as capable of attacking us in our own home. Their fame is the perfect cover for their offending.

It's dangerous having a man like this on a dating site. It's doubly dangerous when he's a "prominent New Zealander". And triply so when his offending is a state-imposed secret.

And so I warned the dating site a week ago by email. I don't know if what I did is against the law but I believe it was the only responsible thing to do. I couldn't do nothing.

The scary thing is I never heard back.

But the dating site is not the problem. The real problem is with us: it's our justice system and our judges.

Our prominent New Zealander's name was suppressed for a number of reasons, including his prominence. He shouldn't be protected. If anything, those we look up to should be held to a higher standard, not a lesser one.

And it's his prominence that makes him such a threat to the unknowing.

The disgusting part for me is our judiciary are the enablers against one brave victim successfully pressing charges and speaking out.

For the unknowing he remains a "prominent New Zealander". To me he's a scumbag and coward.