Ex-all Black ‘anxious’ after being named for ‘appalling’ assault
The former All Black sentenced for punching a woman in the face – described by the judge as ‘‘an appalling act’’ – can now be named as Zac Guildford.
The 32-year-old failed in his attempts to have his name permanently suppressed, with Justice Paul Davison, QC, saying the public should know who was behind the assault.
Even if there was a lot of publicity about the case, the inevitable embarrassment and sense of shame for Guildford ‘‘are no more than would be the usual consequences of publicity to other persons convicted of similar offending whose offending is reported in the media,’’ Justice Davison wrote after hearing the appeal in the High Court at Hamilton. Now that suppression has lapsed, more details of the case can be reported.
The assault occurred about 11.30pm on December 20, 2019, in the Napier suburb of Taradale. The victim was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car, with Guildford in the rear. Without warning, he punched her in the face. The court heard neither the victim nor the man could remember what sparked the assault.
The victim, who now lives overseas, was scheduled to fly out of the country the day after the incident, and had to do so with bruising over her face. She still has issues with breathing through her nose.
‘‘The brutality and considerable force behind the blow is illustrated by the nature of the injuries caused to the victim,’’ Justice Davison wrote after the appeal.
When he appealed to the High Court, Guildford also tried to have his sentence – two years of intensive supervision – overturned but Justice Davison said that was lenient given his offending.
Guildford said yesterday that he was ready to come clean. ‘‘I was hiding behind a lot of guilt and shame, but also still chasing the rugby dream,’’ he said. ‘‘Now, in the job that I do love, I encourage other men to take their mask off, so evidently I’m taking mine off too.’’ Guildford did not mention he was facing a conviction when he talked to Stuff in December about his new role working with people in domestic violence. When Guildford was sentenced the next month, lawyer Rob Quin sought a conviction and discharge and permanent name suppression, saying the former All Black had found it difficult to handle the fame
he achieved as a young man.
Guildford was a member of the All Blacks squad that won the 2011 World Cup, but his career nosedived afterwards because of issues with alcohol and mental health.
At the sentencing hearing in January, Judge Robert Spear told Guildford: ‘‘There is no alternative but for this court to help you deal with the problems that you are not capable of dealing with yourself.’’
While the intensive supervision ‘‘might appear to you to be a straitjacket, I hope you realise in time it is a lifeline’’.
Guildford said yesterday that he had personally apologised to his victim and had participated in a reconciliation meeting.
He said he was anxious about the attention he would get after being named. ‘‘It’s hard enough to deal with it in my own stress, but for the rest of New Zealand to know about it too, also causes a lot of anxiety, but the one thing I’ve got to do is take ownership of this.’’
Guildford’s employer, mental health and addiction service provider Yellow Brick Road, knew about his conviction.
‘‘Yellow Brick Road was aware of it, but was confident in him going forward. His empathy with people with mental health challenges is what counts, and his determination to help others,’’ said chief executive Vicki Lee.