Assault charges denied

Assault charges denied

| Greymouth Star |

A Gloriavale man and former teacher inside the Lake Haupiri Christian community has denied 14 charges of assaulting boys with blunt weapons.

Vigilant Standtrue, 42, filed pleas of not guilty on all charges in the Greymouth District Court, electing a trial by jury.

Name suppression lapsed for Standtrue on his second appearance in May, where he represented himself.

The offending is alleged to have happened between 2000 and 2010 against four boys, with various weapons including garden tools, a steel-toe gumboot and a length of plastic pipe.

The court previously heard the boys were aged about eight and 10 years at the time.

A case review hearing has been set for September.