A teacher appeared in Wellington District Court on Thursday facing charges of indecent assault and impeding breathing, entering not guilty pleas to all counts.
The accused faces four charges of indecent assault and a single charge of deliberately restricting someone's breathing by applying force to the throat. The charges relate to the period from mid-December 2024 to late February 2025.
The judge ruled that name suppression and all identifying information would continue until trial, despite the complainant not opposing the lifting of suppression. The judge said naming the defendant would cause severe hardship and prevent them from working in teaching, even if found not guilty.
The accused is no longer employed as a teacher. A trial has been scheduled for October 2026.