Spiers convicted for Fair Go assault

Mount Maunganui car salesman Alan Spiers is convicted on a charge of assaulting Fair Go presenter Gordon Harcourt outside his Totara Street yard in July.

He's been ordered to pay $1573 reparation to Gordon Harcourt within 14 days and also to pay reparation of $616.80 on a charge of intentionally damaging the viewfinder of a video camera.


Alan Spiers pictured in Tauranga District Court today during sentencing.

Spiers was also ordered to pay court costs of $132.89 on each charge.

Spiers appeared for sentence today in the Tauranga District Court after pleading guilty in August.

Judge Rollo declined an application by lawyer Bill Nabney to discharge Spiers without conviction.

Spiers assaulted Gordon Harcourt outside the yard, punching him about the head and face, 'a couple or three times,” says prosecutor Police Senior Sergeant Barry Woon.

Spiers, who was accompanied by two salesmen from the yard, then damaged the camera.

Representing Spiers, lawyer Bill Nabney says Spiers and his family had received abusive phone calls and a death threat on his grandson following a previous segment Gordon Harcourt had done on his car sales yard.

The judge says Spiers was entitled to escort the camera crew off the yard's forecourt and he could have left it at that.

The judge referred to 47 testimonials from customers, friends and family attesting to Spiers' integrity and good character.


See video below of Fair Go presenter Gordon Harcourt giving his view of Spiers' sentence.

Judge Rollo agreed that discharges without conviction have been granted for more serious offences, and that the judgement would be on the facts of the case rather than the charge itself.

The offence took place on the footpath.

The victim doesn't accept that he went onto the car sales yard.

Supported by his staff, Spiers began a violent confrontation, punching Gordon Harcourt three times in the head.

Judge Rollo convicted Spiers because he said Spiers also had to stand with every other person who comes before the district court accused of violence.

The community was entitled to see that people convicted of similar offences received similar treatment.

He was not satisfied that the impact of a conviction would be out of all proportion to the gravity of the offence.

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9 comments

Bronco

Posted on 12-09-2011 13:53 | By The Jackaroo

Well said Mate.


A win for anti-thuggery!

Posted on 12-09-2011 14:04 | By bryceh

Good bloody job! *line removed* Maybe next time he will attempt to think before using his fists, although a couple of thousand dollars is probably petty change for the yard, it is something! Mr Spiers, you need to act human not with animal instinct - think about that...


Satisfied

Posted on 12-09-2011 14:19 | By Thoughtful

that an adequate sentence has been handed down. Failing to understand though why the convicted's lawyer would seek a discharge without conviction for what appears to be an unprovoked attack. Glad that the judge saw reason.


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA LOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLO

Posted on 12-09-2011 14:33 | By sreipsnala

a conviction, can't get better than that.


Good Job

Posted on 12-09-2011 17:18 | By KiwiSteve

He obviously didn't want a conviction! Rallying around to get 47 testimonials, what a laugh! I like the photo of Spiers, you can see the tears welling up.


TOO MANY

Posted on 12-09-2011 17:37 | By sreipsnala

did he write those 47 Testimonials himself? stand up anybody who wrote any of them? integrity and good character? i bet you can't show your face!


about time!

Posted on 12-09-2011 18:56 | By loveyrairport

hahaha about time a bloody upstart journalist got a hiding. i bet that idiot will think twice before he goes picking on anyone again - haha good job for him :)


The biggest punishment

Posted on 12-09-2011 19:51 | By KiwiSteve

is the local and national media coverage.


Travel

Posted on 13-09-2011 19:10 | By tabatha

Now he will have to be careful with travel as he has an assult conviction and some countries do not accept.


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