Lawyers for Peter Scutts have been granted a delay in the case against the former wine-making boss brought by the Serious Fraud Office.
Last year Mr Scutts pled not guilty in the Auckland District Court on 16 Crimes Act charges of dishonestly using a document and one Secret Commissions Act charge of receiving a secret reward for procuring contracts.
The case was transferred to the High Court and was set for trial next month.
However today, John Billington QC asked Justice Graham Lang in the Auckland High Court for an adjournment as a key defence witness – known only as Mr Findlay – had had an accident requiring surgery and would need time to recover. This was accepted by the Crown.
Justice Lang tentatively rescheduled the hearing for April 20 next year but this would be subject to resolution of a separate case.
Mr Scutts’ lawyer initially made the application to transfer the case to the High Court because of what he has called the “complex factual and legal issues.”
Mr Scutts is well known in the advertising industry for his time managing Young & Rubicam (Y&R), and in the rugby world as former chief executive of the Auckland Blues franchise.
He was the chief executive of the New Zealand Wine Company from July 2011, an SFO statement says, until the company merged with Foley Family Wines [NZAX: FFW] in September 2012.
The SFO alleges that while he was chief executive, Mr Scutts received payments from an Australian wholesaler based on the volume of wine sold by New Zealand Wine Company.
The payments invoiced are roughly $64,000. Mr Scutts has denied the allegations.
The SFO alleges the wine company’s board did not know about Mr Scutts’ receipt of these fees.
Victoria Young
Fri, 10 Oct 2014
Fri, 10 Oct 2014
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Delay granted in Peter Scutts trial
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