A man who was to appear in the Auckland District Court today on burglary and vehicle crime charges is on the run after escaping Police custody at about 11 this morning.

Wellington, Dec 4 NZPA - A Wairarapa man has gone on trial today for the historic rape and sexual assault of a five-year-old girl.

Christchurch, Dec 4 NZPA - Gun City arms dealership director David Matthew Holden Tipple has finally been granted a limited driving licence after his last bid was refused because his application was not restrictive enough.

Letters are being sent out to potential family violence offenders in the lead up to Christmas warning them to behave or suffer the consequences.

Christchurch, Dec 4 NZPA - A woman charged over an alleged baby-snatching incident at Christchurch's St George's Hospital has been remanded for a fortnight for a psychiatric report to be prepared.

Wellington, Dec 4 NZPA - An American boardsailor, who unsuccessfully sought $15 million damages from Olympic gold medallist Bruce Kendall, has lost her latest appeal to have the case reheard.

Taupo Police have been advised that a 12 yr old boy was flown by Helicopter to Rotorua Hospital at about 1.00am this morning.

TVNZ's Breakfast audience is now almost 7 times as big as its competitor on TV3, and the figures are still rising.

In November, Breakfast's average audience grew from a rating of 3.9, to 4.1.

By comparison, TV3's Sunrise grew by point 1 of a ratings point, from 0.5 to 0.6.

Rotorua, Dec 4 NZPA - The father of the killers of Nia Glassie went on trial today for assaulting the Rotorua toddler.

William Warena Curtis, 49, pleaded not guilty in Rotorua District Court to eight charges of assaulting the three-year-old.

NZ On Air has announced an investment of more than $3 million in six TV comedy programmes, to screen on TV2, TV3 and C4 in 2009.

NZ On Air chief executive Jane Wrightson said the funding included a new series of the acclaimed The Jaquie Brown Diaries for TV3.