Guilt not proven, says Field lawyer

The long-running bribery and corruption trial of former MP Taito Phillip Field is expected to to be summed up today by Justice Rodney Hansen.

The judge will summarise both the Crown and defence cases before the 10-person jury begins its deliberations.

Yesterday, Field's lawyer Paul Davison, QC, toldthe High Court at Auckland the Crown had notdone enough to prove that his client was guilty as charged.

To be found guilty, he said, Field had to have known work done on his properties was meant as a bribe and that it directly related to the undertaking of immigration assistance that affected the manner of how he carried out his functions as an MP.

Mr Davison said the Crown had come "well short" of establishing guilt on any of the corruption and bribery charges and "there is no evidence he did anything inappropriate".

"He pushed the boundaries to help their cases ... just like he did for others."

By writing to the Associate Minister of Immigration at the time, Damien O'Connor, he was putting [the migrants'] "best foot forward".

Mr Davison said Field was making a strong case for the migrants, just as he did with everyone in his constituency. He said Field never thought the Thai tradesmen were not charging for their work, or that the reason was that they were using that as a bribe.