Sex trial aborted but judge refuses to say why

The trial of a high profile Northland man on sex and assault charges has been aborted but the trial judge has refused to allow the reasons to be published.

The trial was into its second day in Whangarei District Court today when the man's lawyer, John Haigh, QC, applied to Judge Michael Lance to have the trial aborted.

"I made an application for the trial to be aborted and for a change of venue. The judge agreed and counsel for the prosecution didn't oppose that application.

"The judge said if I hadn't applied, he would have aborted it himself because of what had happened," Mr Haigh said today.

The trial was stopped and the jury was dismissed.

The man on trial had name suppression and the judge also ordered other details of the case could not be published. He could only be referred to as a high-profile Northland man.

- NZPA