Teacher on sex charges keeps name suppression

The name of a former North Shore school teacher facing sex charges will remain suppressed until his trial.

The man told a court through his lawyer today he deserved to get a fair trial on 14 sex charges involving teenage female students and that would not happen if his name was published.

The man's name had been suppressed since his first appearance last month and today North Shore District Court continued an order suppressing all details until his trial.

His lawyer Gary Gotlieb told Judge David Wilson today the right to a fair trial was a precious process of the New Zealand judicial system. It would be seriously damaged if his name was published.

However, police prosecutor Sergeant Pete Siddall said not naming the man put every teacher and school on the North Shore under a slur and that was "unfair".

He said in his new job the defendant came into contact with "all sorts of people, including teenage girls" and created a prime opportunity for further offending.

He said the seven complainants all believed the man's name should be published in the interests of justice.

The judge said continuing to suppress the man's name outweighed the principles of open justice.

- NZPA