No name suppression for fraud case brothers

AUCKLAND: Two British brothers are distancing themselves from alleged links to a group of "unruly tourists" as they face allegations over a roofing scam.

The two men appeared in court again yesterday following a police investigation into the alleged fraud scheme in Auckland.

Beamed into the Auckland District Court by video link from Whanganui, the pair sat together in identical green Tshirts.

The men first appeared in the Whanganui District Court after their arrests on charges of obtaining by deception.

Counsel Anoushka Bloem said ‘‘media coverage has been unrelenting’’ of the case, which had unfairly linked her clients to a group of unruly tourists.

She said the two men were not part of the misbehaving group.

Ms Bloem made her arguments while attempting to keep the men’s names suppressed.

She also claimed overseas media reports of the group of travellers may have already prejudiced her clients’ case.

After verbal arguments were also made by media and the police, Judge Russell Collins declined the name suppression application.

Any alleged link to the group of tourists, which the judge said had gained ‘‘some notoriety’’, did not satisfy him that publication of the defendants’ names would compromise a potential trial.

Ms Bloem said she would appeal the decision, meaning an interim suppression order would be in place.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges. — NZME