The New Zealand Bar Assocation says misinformed criticism of a South Island judge’s sentencing of a sex offender has the potential for disturbing consequences for the justice system and society generally.

The Bar Association’s President Kate Davenport QC and Vice-President Jonathan Eaton QC say while public discussion around sentencing is a good thing, it becomes harmful when that discussion is based on information which is factually wrong

“Some of the information circulating in the news media, seeded by politically motivated lobby groups, is either outright wrong or misleading through lack of context. The most obvious example is that the media reporting referred to this as a case of rape when it was not.This sort of misinformation has the potential to seriously undermine the independence of judges and damage the integrity of our justice system,” says Mr Eaton.

Mr Eaton says the way our justice system operates, it is accepted that judges will not enter into public debate or defend themselves in these circumstances. He says this means that Judge Maze, the sentencing judge in this case, is being unfairly maligned. “As well as the personal damage to the judge herself, the wider implications of the undermining of our justice system through some groups running their own ‘social media justice’ is also worrying,” he says.

The New Zealand Bar Association says in these circumstances it has a role and duty to highlight that incorrect and misinformed comment is being published.

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