Libellous letters led to job loss

Press, 4 November 1989, Page 6

Libellous letters led to job loss

PA Tauranga Libellous letters written by a Tauranga man about his boss led to the senior man losing his job, the District Court at Tauranga was told on Thursday. The letters, which accused the Tauranga branch manager of a national hardware chain of dishonesty and incompetence, were sent during 1987 to the manager’s national employers and to a sports club he was involved with, the police said.

Before Judge Richard Kearney was an assistant manager, aged 31, who had pleaded guilty to five indictable charges of criminal libel. His name was suppressed. He also pleaded guilty to one charge of forgery. The police said about 15 letters were sent by

the defendant, a shop assistant in the hardware branch, and the charges arose from five letters which alleged the complainant was “fiddling” stock numbers. The letters also said the complainant was “the most dishonest piece of dirt that could possibly be in charge of such a potentially thriving business” and that he was “a horrible, pommie, badtempered, back-stabbing, lying and deceitful little bastard.”

Sergeant Keith Elliott said internal inquiries cleared the manager of all the allegations but he was asked to resign his position. Mr Elliott said inquiries led the police to interview the defendant in May last year, when he admitted writing the letters.