ACC's Continuing Persecution of Mike Dixon-McIvor

Early this week I wrote about the bullying that ACC had subjected advocate Mike Dixon-McIvor to in its campaign of payback. They had indulged in behaviour which saw them actively seek to deprive him of the means to earn an income by writing to his clients advising that he couldn't work for them.

ACC also attempted to prosecute him for fraud in a case that was thrown out before trial. ACC were made to pay costs to Mike.

Now having lost his home and income thanks to ACC Mike is conducting a hunger strike on the doorsteps of ACC's plush Wellington offices in Aitken Street.

But now it seems that ACC's bullying of Mike continues even while he protests. At night as he maintains his presence outside their building an ACC security guard wakes him up every two hours. Last night the guard admitted he did this on the instructions of ACC. The denial of sleep in this way is getting pretty close to a form of sleep deprivation. Also Wellington City Council received an "anonymous" complaint about Mike's dog, who was his companion on the protest. Following an approach by the council, Mike's dog has had to be sent away.

The streets of our capital are cold at night, and to deprive an old man of both sleep and a source of warmth as he undertakes a hunger strike is particularly cruel.