A man who defaced the MediaWorks building with anti-Paul Henry graffiti was the same man found guilty of shoving and spitting at him, it can now be revealed.
The incident at the Flower St premises came just hours after 35-year-old Diego Chavez was found guilty of assaulting the controversial presenter on December 2.
Christian Marcel Cebolledo-Gutierrez was charged with intentional damage following the incident and, though he missed his first Auckland District Court date, today he pleaded guilty.
Court documents showed the defendants shared the same date of birth and court staff confirmed they were the same person, using aliases.
The graffiti featured anarchy symbolism as well as phrases such as "racist scum", "Paul Henry pice of s***" (sic) and "smash the fash".
TV3 reported the attack was carried out in full view of staff, who said the man was mostly calm "but asked repeatedly why they 'were trying to protect' the broadcaster".
Cebolledo-Gutierrez, who is listed as living in Eden Terrace, was found by police shortly afterwards.
He first came to the attention of authorities at a protest outside Prime Minister John Key's post-Budget speech at Auckland's SkyCity events centre on May 22.
The court heard evidence at a trial in November that the defendant launched himself at Mr Henry and spat at him, hitting him on the neck.
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The TV personality said he was suddenly confronted by a screaming mob of "semi-deranged people" as he was on the way to attend a charity lunch.
"It was very threatening, extraordinarily threatening," he said.
"That's the huge issue for me. It was very aggressive. A couple of them were screaming at me right in my face, literally just standing there right in my face. So the options were reducing and it felt like it was becoming more and more inflamed."
Then as he was shepherded away, he was allegedly attacked.
"From behind, someone spat on me and I was pushed. For me that was the final straw. People have a right to protest and expression is very important and should be upheld. But this was way beyond where people should go," Henry told the court.In an interview with police, Cebolledo-Gutierrez described Henry as a "racist".
When officers suggested he had taken the opportunity in the melee to attack the victim, he said: "What I say is that if he's going to walk on the street with his bigotry and making fun of people, that's going to happen."
He will be sentenced on all charges in February.
