Auckland School Successfully Secures Permanent Name Suppression Following Disturbing Crimes by Former Deputy Principal
An Auckland school has recently won a legal battle to maintain permanent name suppression in connection with the appalling crimes committed by its former deputy principal. Lawrence Peter Stephens, who served as the deputy principal for over a decade and had a 25-year teaching career, was sentenced to 24 months in jail after pleading guilty to possessing child abuse and bestiality images, as well as making an objectionable publication. Of the 218 images discovered, 140 fell into the most severe category, with the majority of victims depicted being children between the ages of a toddler and 13.
Initially, the school’s lawyer, David Dickinson, had requested permanent name suppression for the institution, but his application was declined by Judge Kevin Glubb. Consequently, the school decided to appeal the decision, leading to an interim order that kept its name suppressed until a High Court hearing. Both the police and Herald publisher NZME opposed the appeal.
During the High Court hearing, the school’s lawyer argued that the school was in no way connected to Stephens’ offending, which occurred during his personal time and did not involve any students or staff. Ultimately, Justice Geoffrey Venning sided with Dickinson’s argument, stating, The public interest in this case is in the fact Mr. Stephens was an experienced school teacher of many years standing and held a responsible position as deputy principal. The school that he was employed by is irrelevant to his offending and entirely unconnected with it. In his judgment, Justice Venning concluded that while there is a public interest in open reporting of the case, the undue hardship the school would face if connected to Stephens’ unrelated and personal crimes outweighed that interest.
Paul Gillick, senior legal counsel for Herald publisher NZME, expressed his disagreement with the decision, asserting that the public interest should outweigh the school’s argument for suppression. Gillick emphasized the trust placed in Stephens as an employee, particularly by the Teaching Council, to conduct himself appropriately. Judge Kevin Glubb, during sentencing, also highlighted the seriousness of Stephens’ offending, emphasizing that it involved actual children being subjected to brutal acts in the most horrendous way.
In summary, an Auckland school has successfully obtained permanent name suppression following the disturbing crimes committed by its former deputy principal, Lawrence Peter Stephens. The court acknowledged that the school had no connection to Stephens’ offenses and that revealing its name would cause undue hardship. This case highlights the need to balance public interest with the potential harm inflicted on innocent parties.
