Man discharged without conviction after punching 71-year-old at Posie Parker event
Monday, 4 March 2024
Posie Parker came to New Zealand in March 2023 and was set to speak at Auckland’s Albert Park.
Her event was met with protest which saw a young man arrested after he punched a woman who was there to attend the event.
The 21-year-old appeared at the Auckland District Court and was granted a discharge without conviction by Judge Kevin Glubb.
A man who admitted punching a 71-year-old woman during a protest against Posie Parker, has been discharged without conviction.
The protester, who was granted permanent name suppression, appeared at the Auckland District Court on Monday where his lawyer Emma Priest sought for him to be discharged without conviction.
The 21-year-old was charged after activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, was set to speak at Auckland’s Albert Park in March.
Judge Kevin Glubb said the offending was moderately serious given the attack to the head.
However he accepted the man was genuinely remorseful and acted in a way that was completely out of character.
On the balance, given his neurodiversity Judge Glubb accepted a conviction would be out of proportion to the gravity of the offending and discharged. Judge Glubb said that did not detract the impact the offending had on the victim.
“[Defendant] you must prove to the community and [the victim] you can be a good man moving forward and you will not get involved in protest action…make this the last time [you’re before the court],” Judge Glubb said.
The victim, who was left with concussion and bruising, told the court on Monday, she has suffered since that day in March last year and her “happy-go-lucky” nature has disappeared.
“Any loud noise causes me severe stress and uncharacteristic behaviours - anger and distress.
“I have lost the trust I had in New Zealand. I truly loved and believed in this country. I still think as a whole, New Zealand has the best people in the world. I’ve met and been supported by many of them,” she said.
The woman asked for the man to be named.
The man’s lawyer, Emma Priest, said this was a unique set of circumstances that would never be repeated by her client who has ADHD and autism and got caught up in the “frenzied Posie Parker protests”.
She said a conviction would be out of proportion to his offending and would result in difficulty in the young man gaining employment.
His ADHD and youth amplified his impulsivity that day. Priest said her client had taken responsibility, was truly remorseful and willing to engage in restorative justice - which was declined.
Since the offending, he has undertaken 180 hours of volunteer work at the Red Cross, completed the Man Alive programme and counselling sessions, Priest said.
The man also offered to pay $1000 in reparation.
The police prosecutor said the police recognise there was “high feeling” during the protests, but there was disparity in the defendant’s youth and strength against the 71-year-old.
He opposed the discharge without conviction but didn’t oppose suppression being granted.
The young man said he had attended the event to protest against Keen-Minshull and in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
While the woman had attended Keen-Minshull’s speaking event.