Handbags drawn...ex MP's wife lashes out

Glenda Rogers strikes out with her handbag as she and her husband Trevor Rogers arrive at court in Auckland to begin a one-month prison sentence yesterday. Photo / Dean Purcell

It wasn't exactly grace under pressure. The wife of a disgraced former National MP lashed out with her handbag moments before giving herself up for a stint in jail.

Glenda and Trevor Rogers presented themselves to the High Court at Auckland yesterday after being sentenced to one month in prison on Friday for contempt of court.

Glenda Rogers attacked a Herald photographer on the footpath outside the court after she noticed she and her husband were being photographed.

She swore at the photographer before smacking him with her handbag.

The Rogers, both bankrupt, were not taken into custody on Friday for reasons that were suppressed by Justice Peter Woodhouse.

They will spend one month in jail.

This is Trevor Rogers' second stint in jail and Glenda Rogers' first, for refusing to hand over intellectual property that belongs to a company of which they were directors and major shareholders.

Their company, TGR Helicorp, went into receivership on April 2, 2008.

This was not the first company of theirs to fail. In October 1988, their company Metroservices was placed into receivership.

TGR Helicorp 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.

Trevor Rogers told the court last year that the Snark had the potential to "make millions and millions of dollars".

TGR was mainly involved in the development of prototype unmanned helicopters.

Trevor Rogers said last year that TGR was a world leader in its field.

Justice Woodhouse said in his December judgment that there "is a substantial body of evidence" that claims the helicopter developments of TGR were of a high quality and had good prospects for sale.

The Rogers claim they do not have the documents the court requires, but on Friday Justice Woodhouse said he had found that claim false in his judgment on the trial between TGR's receivers Deloitte and the Rogers.

Trevor Rogers, in his late 60s, was first sent to prison last month for defying court orders that required him to hand over intellectual property such as helicopter drawings that belong to TGR.

Justice Woodhouse said that despite his ruling that the Rogers did know the whereabouts of the company's assets, they continued to deny it.

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

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."

Trevor Rogers entered Parliament in 1990 after 12 years as an Auckland City Councillor.