By Catherine Naylor and Jessica Worboys
A North Coast mayor charged with domestic violence offences has lost his legal bid to keep his court case secret less than three weeks before he stands for re-election.
Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon has been charged with common assault and intimidation after an incident involving a woman known to him at his home near Mullumbimby on August 1. The police are also seeking an apprehended violence order against him.
Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon swore audibly after the decision was handed down. Credit: Danielle Smith
Lyon pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared before Tweed Heads Local Court for the first time last week and secured an interim suppression order to stop the publication of details relating to the case.
But magistrate Geoff Dunlevy refused to grant a permanent order on Tuesday after the Herald and other media outlets opposed Lyon’s application.
Dunlevy found that while publicity around the case could harm the alleged victim, Lyon was a candidate in upcoming local government elections, and the matter was “quite obviously one of significant public interest”.
He also said suppressing the details of the case might create an impression among the public of a “two-tier justice system” in which public figures were shielded from publicity while everyday people were not.
Lyon swore audibly after the decision was handed down when he realised that the medical details he had submitted to the court regarding the alleged victim would be accessible on the court record.
Speaking outside court after the decision, Lyon said he was innocent of the charges and that the system “designed to protect women ... had cataclysmically failed”.
“I’m extremely disappointed on behalf of my family. I don’t care about me, I’ll be fine.”
He said the matter had “been driven by police”, not the alleged victim, and he was not interested in what the charges meant for his chances of re-election as mayor on September 14.
The court heard Lyon’s alleged victim wanted the charges against him withdrawn and has signed a statement of no complaint seeking to retract the allegations, which will be heard at Tweed Heads Local Court in March.
Police say they had attended an address at The Pocket, north of Mullumbimby, on August 1 and were told a man had allegedly assaulted a woman known to him before fleeing. There were no reports of injuries.
Lyon was arrested at Tweed Heads Police Station the next day and granted conditional bail.
He said at the time that he was reconsidering running for re-election, and two of his running mates pulled their names off his Byron Independents ticket, but the NSW Electoral Commission website shows Lyon is listed as a candidate for the September 14 election.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and the Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) for people aged 5 to 25.