KEY POINTS:
A helicopter pilot jailed for stealing 20 tonnes greenstone from the South Island high country has lost an appeal to overturn his conviction.
Harvey Andrew Hutton, of Makarora, near Wanaka, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment in May 2006 for the theft of Ngai Tahu greenstone.
He was given leave to apply for home detention and ordered to pay $300,000 reparation.
A jury found Hutton guilty on two charges of stealing the greenstone from the Cascade Plateau in South Westland during a seven-year period from 1997.
The value of the greenstone was disputed between the two parties, with Hutton saying it was worth about $115,000 while Ngai Tahu claimed it was worth at least $650,000.
Hutton denied stealing any of the greenstone, maintaining it was all legally mined at his Big Bay claim in South Westland.
He sought to introduce new evidence in support of his case to have his conviction overturned but this was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal in findings released today.
- NZPA
