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<\/p>\nOne moment a 12-year-old was pedalling his bike through Whang\u0101rei’s CBD. The next, 65-year-old children’s author Lucas Remmerswaal shoved him off and hurled the bike on top of him.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, Remmerswaal saw the boy again – he grabbed him by the throat and tried to take his phone.<\/p>\n
Now the author and school presenter has failed in his bid to overturn a conviction for the offending, with a High Court judge agreeing his conduct was precisely the kind of behaviour schools should know about.<\/p>\n
Remmerswaal has published several children’s books and travelled the country giving presentations in schools about financial literacy.<\/p>\n
The former investment adviser also gained the backing of billionaire Warren Buffett to write a series of 13 books based on the habits that made Buffett billions.<\/p>\n
At 3.30pm on April 7, 2025, Remmerswaal, also known as Lucas Socrates, was on Quality St in Whang\u0101rei as a 12-year-old rode his bike through.<\/p>\n
Remmerswaal approached the victim and spoke to him before pushing him off his bike.<\/p>\n
He then picked up the bike and threw it on the victim, pushing it down on him.<\/p>\n
The victim managed to get up and rode off as Remmerswaal chased him briefly but lost him.<\/p>\n
Remmerswaal then walked to the Salvation Army on Vine St and, while there, the victim rode past and noticed him.<\/p>\n
The victim got out his phone and took a video.<\/p>\n
On seeing this, Remmerswaal ran out of the store, and grabbed the victim’s throat while attempting to snatch his phone.<\/p>\n
It was only when the public intervened that Remmerswaal let the boy go and walked away.<\/p>\n
Remmerswaal pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to assault on a child under 14 and was convicted by Judge Peter Davey in February. He was ordered to pay reparation to the victim.<\/p>\n
Remmerswaal appealed the decision to the High Court, which heard the case in June, and said the consequences of a conviction would affect his ability to teach in schools and obtain insurance for his boat.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quality Street in Whang\u0101rei where Lucas Remmerswaal assaulted a young boy.<\/p>\n
Supplied<\/p>\n
He lost control<\/p>\n
His lawyer Jarred Scott submitted his client had admittedly lost control, walked away from the situation and was provoked when the child began filming him.<\/p>\n
Justice James Alexander MacGillivray said the facts did not support the submission.<\/p>\n
Justice MacGillivray said Remmerswaal chased the victim and only broke off the second assault as he was attracting public attention.<\/p>\n
“I also reject the submission that there is mitigation with respect to the second incident because the victim filming Mr Remmerswaal should be viewed as provocation,” Justice MacGillivray said.<\/p>\n
“In context, it is reasonable to infer that the victim was filming Mr Remmerswaal for the purpose of identifying his assailant to make a complaint, and that Mr Remmerswaal was trying to get the phone off him to prevent him from doing that.”<\/p>\n
Counsel also submitted the consequence of a conviction would limit Remmerswaal’s ability to work in schools and be “out of all proportion to the seriousness of his offending”.<\/p>\n
Justice MacGillivray said by law, a children’s worker must obtain a police vet to provide services and that vet would disclose the offending – whether he was convicted or not.<\/p>\n
“Police vetting checks go beyond a simple police check for whether someone has a record of criminal convictions. The process discloses all police contact with the person vetted,” Justice MacGillivray said.<\/p>\n
“I also agree with the District Court Judge’s conclusion that this is the sort of conviction that a school should properly be able to take into account in assessing whether or not to engage Mr Remmerswaal.”<\/p>\n
Regarding his submissions about obtaining insurance for his boat, Justice MacGillivray said this was based only on Remmerswaal’s personal experience.<\/p>\n
“It is far from obvious that a conviction for assault, for which no sentence was imposed other than the conviction itself and $500 reparation, would be a barrier to Mr Remmerswaal obtaining property insurance.<\/p>\n
“As Mr Remmerswaal has failed to persuade me that he will suffer consequences, as a result of conviction, that would be out of all proportion to the gravity of the offending, his appeal fails at the threshold level.”<\/p>\n
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