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Former New Zealander of the Year charged with intentional damage

Author
Samantha Olley, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 3 Jun 2020, 2:24PM
Former New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O'Sullivan has been charged with intentionally damaging a car window. (Photo / Supplied)
Former New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O'Sullivan has been charged with intentionally damaging a car window. (Photo / Supplied)

Former New Zealander of the Year charged with intentional damage

Author
Samantha Olley, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 3 Jun 2020, 2:24PM

Former New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O'Sullivan has been charged with intentionally damaging a car window.

Lance Edward O'Sullivan's attendance was excused in the Rotorua District Court this afternoon.

He allegedly damaged the driver's window of a Nissan vehicle in Rotorua on March 13.

The 47-year-old had name suppression after his first appearance in Rotorua, but an extension was not sought at a registrar's hearing today.

He was remanded at large to reappear before a registrar on July 1.

O'Sullivan has not entered a plea and is going through the diversion process.

The maximum possible penalty for O'Sullivan's charge is three months' imprisonment and the maximum fine is $2000.

O'Sullivan was named New Zealander of the Year in 2014 and is the founder of the Moko Foundation.

His career has focused on child health - he created New Zealand's first digital health programme, iMOKO, which delivers healthcare to children across the country.

Dr Lance O'Sullivan at the launch of iMoko health screening project in 2018. Photo / File

Dr Lance O'Sullivan at the launch of iMoko health screening project in 2018. (Photo / File)

Late last year O'Sullivan told the Rotorua Daily Post he had strong links to Rotorua.

"I started my career in Rotorua, my family and children whakapapa to Rotorua and it helped form me to be the person I am today as a clinician."

In a Facebook post in April, he admitted breaching Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown rules and going kayaking.

"We've been living in a campervan doing our work for the Kaitaia community, but on the weekend I went for a kayak to a place not far from the place I'm staying," he said.

"I'm a dick and I f**ked up. F**k, what a silly bugger, eh? A silly bastard."

In the past, the outspoken doctor has been vocal about the importance of immunisation — disrupting a screening of a controversial anti-vaxx film.

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