TV3 has been banned from filming and using file footage for the remainder of the John Banks' trial after showing the politician picking something out of his ear and putting it in his mouth, Radio New Zealand reports.
There’s a clip of John Banks in court, picking, inspecting and eating his own earwax, that’s been shared 369 times on Facebook, in two days.
— Russell Brown (@publicaddress) May 23, 2014
Banks is before the High Court at Auckland accused of filing a false electoral donation return after his failed Auckland 2010 mayoral campaign.
Justice Wylie summonsed TV3's lawyer and deputy head of news to court on Monday after it aired the footage last week.
He said on the face of it, the footage was used only to expose Banks to ridicule.
"I do consider this a serious breach of the in-house media guidelines," Justice Wylie said.
"The issue which concerns me most is the fact that this footage was used in a way which I simply do not consider to be fair and balanced, and it seems to me that the footage was out of context."
TV3 lawyer Clare Bradley conceded that running the footage was a bad judgement call.
Meanwhile, SkyCity casino head Nigel Morrison on Monday told the court he had a meeting with Banks and gave the politician a $15,000 cheque in an envelope. The donation was recorded as anonymous in Mr Banks' electoral donation return.
