A prominent businessman has been jailed but continues to vehemently deny indecently assaulting three people and later trying to bribe one of his victims. Video / Chris Tarpey
After spending six nights in prison a prominent and wealthy New Zealand businessman is again making another bid for bail pending an appeal of his convictions and sentence.
The former rich-lister was sentenced last Thursday to a total term of two years and four months by Justice GeoffreyVenning for indecently assaulting three men and twice attempting to pervert the course of justice.
At the end of the hearing in the High Court at Auckland - as the somewhat stunned and still suppressed businessman was being led into the holding cells - his lawyer made a bid for bail pending an appeal.
The effort by David Jones QC was dismissed by Justice Venning.
But the businessman, who has strenuously denied the allegations against him from the moment he was first charged in February 2017, has now asked the Court of Appeal to consider releasing him.
Justice Venning told him last week: "Your inability to accept your offending is made plain in your discussion with a probation officer, you consider yourself to be a victim of the tall poppy syndrome.
"Your sense of self-entitlement is repeated in the affidavit you provided for sentencing, it displays a lack of empathy for your victims and confirms your lack of insight into your offending."
Prior to being sentenced, the businessman wrote an email to more than 100 people and organisations asking for help and a letter to provide to the judge.
"I would greatly appreciate such support ... I am innocent of all charges as I have stated in my earlier email," he wrote.
"I would doubt I would survive any period in prison. In these circumstances innocent people can and do rot in jail only to be cleared some time later. Such is the law."
Crown prosecutor Simon Foote QC said during the sentencing the rich Kiwi was a "man of privilege, business success and significant philanthropy".
Jones said his client has made an "unparalleled contribution" to New Zealand and the assaults "cannot take away the benefit he has provided, to literally, the country".