Brownlee assault protester decides to meet Minister after all
A 41-year-old Greymouth man has admitted assaulting Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and has decided he would like to meet the minister at a restorative justice conference.
John Andrew Howland, who lost his teenage son, Jayden Andrews-Howland in the Canterbury earthquakes, asked for any sentencing to be transferred to Greymouth at an appearance before Judge Jane Farish in the Christchurch District Court today.
Duty lawyer Judith Walshe said Howland was not keen to meet the minister at a restorative justice meeting, but the judge stood down the hearing so that Mr Brownlee could be asked whether he wanted the meeting to take place.
Howland has been charged with assault for tipping a mixture of chocolate and flour over the minister after yesterday’s five-year anniversary quake memorial service in Hagley Park.
Judge Farish declined to have the summary of facts read in the court, and when the media requested it be read, she still declined, saying that it only encouraged publicity-seeking behaviour.
She said the police could make the summary of facts available to the media.
The case is likely to be recalled at the Christchurch court later today.
Police said Howland went to the service and sat a short distance from the dignitaries. They said the service was “emotionally charged” and a large number of media were recording the event.
As Mr Brownlee got up to leave, Howland walked up to him with an icecream container that contained a brown sludge which he had prepared earlier in the week.
He poured the sludge over the top of Mr Brownlee in a planned attack before walking away.
“The victim was covered in an unknown brown sludge,” the police said.
Howland said he didn’t like the victim or the political party he stood for.
After the case had been stood down for about an hour, Howland changed his mind. Mrs Walshe said he was willing to meet the Minister at a restorative justice conference after all and Judge Farish remanded him for sentence on March 15.
If Mr Brownlee is willing to take part in the meeting, that date may be put off further, but if the conference is not held the sentencing will go ahead on that day.
Judge Farish said the case was now “subjudice” and Howland would be unwise to do any media interviews prior to sentencing.
Howland’s bail conditions ban any contact with Mr Brownlee, but that would presumably be relaxed if the meeting was being arranged.
The sentencing is set for Christchurch. The judge refused to transfer it to Greymouth.
Category: News
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