Wednesday, May 20, 2009



Celebrity justice isn't OK

Last month, TV celebrity Tony Veitch was sentenced to 300 hours community service after being convicted of a vicious assault in which he fractured his then-partner's spine. The low sentence was the result of a plea bargain, which saw six other charges dismissed. But today, the police were forced to release the prosecution file to the media, including details of the other assaults Veitch is alleged to have committed. And they are utterly shocking:

According to the original police summary of facts, these other alleged assaults included Veitch:
  • Forcing her against wall and kicking her leg several times at her Orakei home.
  • Throwing Dunne-Powell onto a bed at the Stables Cottages in Northland. Veitch punched a wall, leaving a hole which needed repairs.
  • Throwing her onto a bed and pinned her down in a Novotel hotel room in Rotorua after Veitch MCed an event.
  • Chasing her upstairs at his St Heliers home, cornered her, then kicked her so hard she was unable to walk.
  • Pinning her to the bed and punching her in the torso at his home.
  • Grabbing her arms leaving bruises, then kicking her legs at his home.
No doubt this will see another round of minimisation from Veitch, but there is no other way to describe this but repeated, serious assault. And prosecutors cut him a deal? I cannot imagine that they would even consider it if the alleged offender was poor and brown. But justice is apparently different for celebrities.