'High-profile' wife faces music today

The case of a high-profile Rotorua man's wife, who has admitted stealing almost $24,000 and wants to be discharged without conviction, will come up for sentencing today.

The case was called in the Rotorua District Court on Tuesday but the woman, who is in her 30s, could not be sentenced because a Community Probation pre-sentence report had not been completed.

The woman has admitted stealing the money from her employer and putting most of it into her husband's bank accounts.

About 50 of her supporters packed the public gallery on Tuesday and her husband was also in court.

In the dock, the woman, who has interim name suppression, hung her head and cried.

Judge Greg Hikaka said that given the seriousness of the charge and that there was "an awful lot at stake", he was not prepared to deal with the case "half-pie" without a full report.

He put the woman's sentencing off until today.

Amanda Gordon, who appeared on behalf of the complainant, said she would oppose the defence's submission to discharge the woman without conviction, and therefore a full report was necessary.

- NZPA