Judge jails ex-MP and wife for continued defiance over hidden assets

Trevor and Glenda Rogers have been sent to jail for defying court orders. Photo / APN

Disgraced and jailed former National MP Trevor Rogers was sent back to prison yesterday along with wife Glenda, who is facing her first stint, for defying court orders to reveal hidden assets from their failed helicopter company.

The Rogers, both bankrupt, were not taken into custody yesterday for reasons that are suppressed but will surrender themselves to the High Court at Auckland on Monday, when they will be taken to jail to serve a sentence of one month.

Trevor Rogers was back before the same judge who jailed him for a month in February for defying court orders. The Rogers were directors and major shareholders of helicopter manufacturing company TGR Helicorp.

TGR was placed in receivership on April 2, 2008, and assets and intellectual property such as drawings and prototypes disappeared.

The company had planned to build two types of helicopters, the Snark, intended for military use, and the Alpine Wasp, intended for high-altitude mountain rescue operations.

Mr Rogers - known during the 1980s as a Rolls-Royce-driving Auckland City councillor - told the court last year that the Snark had the potential to "make millions and millions of dollars".

The couple have been embroiled in a dispute with the receivers over ownership of intellectual property and other assets such as helicopter parts, and their whereabouts.

It was revealed during the trial yesterday that they intended to move to Switzerland to start the business there, and that Mr Rogers considered the company's intellectual property his.

But the receivers want the assets back so the company can be wound up and creditors repaid.

Yesterday, Justice Peter Woodhouse in the High Court at Auckland sent Mr Rogers back to jail for a month, and Mrs Rogers to jail for the first time for continually defying his orders to disclose where the hidden assets were being housed.

Justice Woodhouse said that despite his clear indication that both would be sent to jail if the assets were not disclosed, they had still not complied and were therefore in contempt of court.

Justice Woodhouse said that despite ruling in December that the Rogers did know the whereabouts of the assets, they continued to deny it "though I found this to be false".

His judgment from the earlier trial shows that Mr Rogers paid his gardener $25 a week to hide a container full of helicopter parts and workshop equipment at his Pokeno home.

The container was hidden behind a boarded house and locked down with four padlocks.

Justice Woodhouse said: "I have come to the conclusion that Mr and Mrs Rogers have continued to defy the court orders, and that they have continued to lie to the court and that they do have possession or control of the intellectual property and other assets of TGR."

Mr Rogers was jailed the first time for a month after a trial in December last year.