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Embattled Blue Chip co-founder Mark Bryers has had another week to forget.
Four days after being threatened with bankruptcy in separate High Court claims over combined debts of $16 million - and another Blue Chip company going into liquidation - the 50-year-old pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
In the Auckland District Court on Tuesday Bryers was fined $580 and disqualified from driving for six months after being stopped at a police checkpoint on Auckland's Hobson St at 7.13 on a Saturday morning last August.
The police summary of facts said Bryers "exhibited signs of recent alcohol intake" and recorded a breath-alcohol level of 489 micrograms - above the legal limit of 400mcg. He offered no explanation to police. An arrest warrant was issued when Bryers failed to appear in court when summonsed last October.
Bryers is also facing two High Court claims involving $16 million.
On April 18, Stuart Herron - a director of property group Merlot - won a summary judgment against Bryers for $85,000, the interest on $3 million allegedly owed by Bryers.
On the same day, Bryers filed a statement of defence against Consolidated Technologies Ltd, which is suing him for $13.6 million, plus $6900 interest each day since last October.
The alleged debt relates to residential sections in the Auradale and Daliarose subdivisions in Gulf Harbour, on a hill overlooking the Gulf Harbour Country Club and golf course that Bryers owns.
The High Court claims come as thousands of distressed Blue Chip investors wait to hear what happened to millions of dollars owed after 20 Blue Chip-related companies were put into liquidation.
Liquidator Jeff Meltzer said he was awaiting proposals that "might give small interim relief" to investors by next month but he said they could not rely on that to solve their financial issues.
"There is little likelihood that monies will be available to investors from the companies in liquidation in the short to medium term," Meltzer said in a letter to investors last week.
