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Auckland, October 11, 2025 – A 29-year-old man accused of smashing a window at the Auckland home of Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will face trial just days before New Zealand’s general election. The timing could inject another layer of drama into an already closely watched campaign.
Trial Date Set Amidst Election Season
The case is scheduled to begin September 28 and conclude September 30, the day before Parliament adjourns ahead of the November 7 vote.
- Police responded to the incident at Peters’ St Mary’s Bay residence around 5:40 p.m.on October 6,2025.
- The accused pleaded not guilty to a charge of burglary.
- A judge initially declined to suppress the man’s name, but his lawyer has filed an appeal.
- The trial is expected to last three days.
Q: What charges dose the man face?
A: The 29-year-old has been charged with burglary following the incident at Winston Peters’ home on October 6, 2025, and has entered a plea of not guilty.
Police were called to peters’ home in st Mary’s Bay on the evening of October 6,2025. the man was later arrested after turning himself in to authorities.
During a court appearance today, the defendant sought continued name suppression, citing online threats he’d received. His lawyer, Jonathan Hudson, argued that revealing his identity would cause extreme hardship. While police did not object to the suppression order, arguments were made for the principles of open justice and public interest.
The judge ultimately ruled against continued name suppression, but hudson indicated an intention to appeal that decision within the 21-day appeal window.
