1 Mar 2019
R v L [2019] NZHC 308
- Citation
- [2019] NZHC 308
- Court
- High Court
Defendant committed contempt by speaking to jurors and attempting to influence them, but credible psychiatric evidence and factual circumstances established she was suffering an acute psychotic episode that substantially impaired understanding and judgement; given the limited criminality when viewed with that impairment, the distress already suffered in custody, ongoing bail conditions, severe financial hardship and family vulnerability, the court exercised discretion to record contempt but discharge the defendant without further penalty and to grant tailored name suppression limited to allow…