Businessman's rape appeal rejected

A convicted rapist has had his application to appeal against his conviction dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Businessman Peter Mana McNamara was convicted last year of raping a 20-year-old woman at Mt Maunganui 17 years ago, as was fireman Warren Hales.

Both men appealed to the Court of Appeal seeking a retrial.

Hales won his appeal and is expected to have a retrial in November. But the Supreme Court backed the Appeal Court's decision to deny McNamara an appeal on the basis his argument "lacked merit".