#Update. This story appeared on March 8, 2013. Charges were subsequently dropped and you can see the later coverage here.
An Auckland PR executive has appeared in court charged with physically abusing her prominent property developer husband.
Sarah Patricia Olliver, managing director of markomPR, appeared before Auckland District Court on Tuesday to face one charge of abusing Greg Olliver while a protection order was in force against her.
The court heard the 43-year-old had been arrested the night before her appearance.
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• PR executive charges dropped
Olliver, who was wearing a black-and-white striped dress and pink cardigan, was granted bail with the conditions she stayed at her home address in St Heliers, did not communicate with her husband and did not threaten or be violent to anyone.
Last night no one answered the intercom at her bail address.
When contacted by phone, Olliver said: "How did you find out about it?"
Told a reporter was in court, she said: "You've caught me at a bad time ... I'm sorry I can't help you but good luck. Just text me. You've got this number and I will respond."
After being texted the specific charge, Olliver said she was in discussions with her lawyer.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Olliver, who uses the surname Sparks in her business life, founded markomPR in December 2000.
Her husband has been one of Auckland's most prominent developers, putting forward plans for sensitive seaside land, including Long Bay on the city's northern outskirts and the Ngunguru Sandspit on Northland's Tutukaka coast through his private landbank company Landco.
Despite deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars he has kept a low profile in his personal life.
At one stage his considerable fortune was believed to be around $250 million.
Sarah Olliver is due to reappear before Auckland District Court next month.