Assault complaint laid against Laws | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

A spat between Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws and mayoral candidate Jevan Goulter has turned ugly, with claims from both sides of assault, harassment and trespass.

Mr Goulter (left) has laid an assault complaint with Whanganui police against Mr Laws (right) after an incident at Mr Laws' studio at Radio Live on Wednesday morning.

And Mr Laws has laid a complaint of harassment against Mr Goulter after an incident involving one of Mr Laws' daughters.

Mr Laws said he was preparing for his radio show yesterday when Mr Goulter arrived.

"After a constant barrage of harassment from him, I was not prepared to speak to him and told him to bugger off.

"He then threw sheets of paper at me, which included a complaint of defamation."

Mr Laws said he was "very angry" and "pushed him away".

"I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him, and remonstrated with him."

Mr Goulter has a quite different story.

He said he had not intended to cause trouble but had gone to the radio station with Barbara Osborne to serve court papers against Mr Laws.

Mr Goulter is the spokesman for Miss Wanganui, of which Mrs Osborne is a former director.

"He started pushing me, abusing me and threatening to smack my ******* head in," Mr Goulter said.

Mrs Osborne was taking pictures of the incident and Mr Goulter claims Mr Laws tried to grab the camera off Mrs Osborne.

"I went in there with no aggression - I was polite.

"I wasn't fazed by his behaviour. I served the papers, which is what I was there to do."

Senior Sergeant Dave Kirby, of the Whanganui police, yesterday confirmed a complaint had been laid against Mr Laws for alleged assault.

He said police would be speaking to witnesses of the incident.

"We will be investigating it over the next few days to decide what action will be taken, if any."

This incident follows one in which Mr Laws claims Mr Goulter attempted to force a trespass

Laws assault claim after confrontation

notice into the hands of Mr Laws' 5-year-old daughter Lucy after her mother, Mr Laws' former partner Leonie Brookhammer, refused to take it.

Mr Laws told the Wanganui Chronicle Ms Brookhammer was picking Lucy up from St John's Hill School last Friday when she was confronted by Mr Goulter with the trespass notice.

The notice, signed by Mr Goulter, trespassed Ms Brookhammer from the residence and workplace of Mrs Osborne.

Mr Laws said that when Ms Brookhammer walked away from Mr Goulter he shouted after her that the police would serve the trespass notice.

"Both Leonie and Lucy were visibly distressed, and Lucy is still distressed by this incident." Ms Brookhammer supported Mr Laws' account and said there were "at least a dozen witnesses".

Mr Laws said the incident was "sordid" and an "invasion of my family's privacy. These people are out of control".

He said he believed it was a publicity stunt by Mr Goulter for his mayoral campaign. Mr Laws is not standing for a third mayoral term but is contesting a seat on the Wanganui District Council in the October elections.

But Mr Goulter said Mr Laws' version of events was completely wrong.

"That was impossible. I don't even know Lucy - I've never seen her. She wasn't there because Leonie hadn't picked her up yet.

"I would never involve a 5-year-old child in a political situation."

Mr Goulter said he had served the trespass notice on Ms Brookhammer on behalf of Mrs Osborne, after a number of "malicious" Facebook messages and phone calls.

Ms Brookhammer said those claims were untrue. "I have never called Barbara. I have made just two comments about her on Facebook and I stand by those comments."