A serial offender has been outed for the sickening crime of robbing from a woman after assisting her after she was in a horror car accident.

A serial offender has been revealed as the man who robbed a seriously injured victim of a horrific car accident, moments after helping her from the wreckage.

Danny Leef was helping Shevaughn Johnstone, who was badly injured in a car crash in 2017, when he decided to use the opportunity to rob her in Papakura, New Zealand, in November 2017.

Leef took her iPhone and wallet, moments after he assisted her as she was trapped in the wreckage.

After he stole her valuables, Leef went on a spending spree for the next several hours, using the injured woman’s credit card to buy himself goods and make multiple transactions on her credit card, as she was cut out of the wreckage by emergency workers.

Ms Johnstone, seriously injured, could not be identified by paramedics assisting her because her wallet had been stolen from her.

Following the accident, Ms Johnstone’s partner posted images and videos of Leef online. She said following the accident the financial strain from the theft “crippled” her as she recovered in hospital.

Leef was arrested and Judge David McNaughton later sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment. But the judge also decided to permanently suppress his name from publication in August 2018.

The decision, which came despite written opposition from the NZ Herald, was based on the judge’s ruling that publication could severely compromise Leef’s progress at drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility Odyssey House.

When making the ruling, Judge McNaughton said he drew on “direct experience” with defendants undertaking substance abuse programs.

On appeal, however, Justice Timothy Brewer ruled in favour of the newspaper and overturned the suppression order, allowing Leef to be named.

Ms Johnstone said she was “thrilled” the man who robbed her could finally be named, saying she thought Judge McNaughton’s decision to grant suppression was “pathetic”.

“(Judge McNaughton) protected the offender and not the victim,” she said.

“My name was everywhere due to him robbing me and doing such a disgusting thing to a vulnerable person, and his name was protected.

“That was so unfair, it was bullsh*t.”

Ms Johnstone said the public had a right to know what a “shameful, horrible person” Leef was.

“He is a grown man and chose to do what he did to me that day,” she said.

“The public need to know as some may think he’s this great person and may actually be friends with him not knowing what kind of person he is … he’s not going to tell anyone that he robbed an injured girl is he?

“At least they can make an informed decision as to whether they want to be associated with such a horrible person.

“He should have been named and shamed from the get-go. How it got this far is beyond me.”

Ms Johnstone said the prolonged court case had impacted on her significantly.

“Had the justice system done it’s job from the get-go, I would not be reliving this almost two years down the line,” she said.

“He should have accepted responsibility when he was finally caught and allowed for his name to be out there, and by now it would all be over.

“Hopefully, this will also show other people that by doing these types of horrible things the truth will come out, and it will make them think twice before they try anything that could become public and let everyone know who they are.”

Justice Brewer said hardship from publication may only arise if Leef actually attended the rehab clinic — which he did not.

Judge McNaughton, who originally put the permanent suppression in place, had also erred, Justice Brewer said, by not seeking the views of Ms Johnstone, who was vehemently opposed to suppression.

“She was entitled to have her views taken into account by the judge, and he had an obligation to at least inquire as to what they were,” Justice Brewer said.

Leef’s offending on other charges had also been suppressed, which Justice Brewer found no reason for.

Leef was further convicted of driving while disqualified, drink-driving, breaching community work, failing to answer bail and providing false details.

Publication, Justice Brewer ruled, would not likely cause Leef, his mum or the Marae Maori community he was connected to, extreme hardship.

“I acknowledge that (Leef’s mother) is now likely to gain more publicity than before but that will not come as a bombshell given his criminal history,” Justice Brewer said.

Despite the ruling, Leef took the case for secrecy to the Court of Appeal.

But this time the argument was largely based on the potential harm publication could cause Te Tahawai Marae, a Maori community centre, which his mother and family are connected to.

New Zealand’s second highest court, however, again ruled in favour of the NZ Herald.

“In our view, and as (Justice) Brewer implicitly concluded, we think (Judge McNaughton) went too far when reaching his conclusions,” Justices Denis Clifford, Geoffrey Venning and Rachel Dunningham said.

Leef was released from custody on July 19 last year with time already served for his 12- month prison sentence.

This article originally appeared on the NZ Herald and was reproduced with permission