Political figure still can't be named despite losing suppression decision in corrupt wealthy businessman's case

NZ Herald Print Editor·NZ Herald·

3 Mar, 2022 08:00 AM4 mins to read

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A prominent businessman has been jailed but continues to vehemently deny indecently assaulting three people and later trying to bribe one of his victims. Video / Chris Tarpey ...

A political figure mentioned several times at the trial of a wealthy businessman found guilty of indecent assault and corruption has lost another bid to keep name suppression.

However, despite the High Court ruling in favour of the Herald and Stuff today, the political name will keep their identity anonymous until at least the end of this month after a further challenge to the Court of Appeal was signalled.

The two media companies had successfully asked Judge Russell Collins last year to revoke his suppression order for the political identity, which had been made nearly three years ago in the Auckland District Court.

The political figure, however, appealed against Judge Collins' ruling, and also launched a new application for a permanent gag order, which was heard in the High Court last month.

In his decision delivered this afternoon, Justice Geoffrey Venning said there was a legitimate public interest in publishing the identity of the political figure.

"The public interest in publication outweighs [their] personal interest in suppression," Justice Venning explained when dismissing the appeal and fresh application.

The ongoing legal proceedings centre around the crimes of a wealthy businessman, who also continues to enjoy name suppression.

He was found guilty by a High Court jury last year of indecently assaulting three men in the early 2000s, 2008 and 2016.

He was also convicted of twice trying to pervert the course of justice by offering a bribe for the 2016 victim to drop their claims, including an elaborate and failed attempt which has become known as the Gold Coast plot.

During the High Court trial, the businessman told jurors it was the purported association of the political figure which attracted him to hiring PR consultant Jevan Goulter and his firm Goulter & Associates.

He claimed it was for potential reputational damage issues after claiming there were rumours he would soon be named in Australian media linking him to the indecent assault allegations.

Instead of a PR problem, however, the businessman was found by the jury to have hired Goulter to travel to the Gold Coast in May 2017 to dissuade the 2016 indecent assault victim — the first of the three to go to police — from continuing with their complaint.

Within 24 hours of returning to Auckland from Queensland, Goulter and his associate Allison Edmonds met with the businessman's manager at an Auckland bar.

Their discussions were recorded by Edmonds and throughout the conversation, the political figure was mentioned, mostly by Goulter.

The emergence of the recording saw the businessman's first trial aborted halfway through the Crown's case during March 2019.

The political figure's lawyer, Davey Salmon QC, said Goulter made a "highly defamatory slur" about his client.

He said Goulter was a fabulist and his claims of the political figure's involvement were "extremely scandalous".

In a subsequent statement to police, Goulter said his comments about the political figure during the bar recording were untrue. He did, however, accept he talked to the political figure about his own name suppression affidavit and prior to the bar meeting sought and took advice from them about his position.

Goulter and Edmonds were granted immunity from prosecution from the Solicitor-General in exchange for their evidence for the Crown.

Last May, the former rich-list businessman was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Despite this, he was granted bail by the Court of Appeal on a third attempt pending the appeal of his convictions and sentence.

The reasons, however, cannot be published by the Herald because of statutory suppression orders.

The businessman continues to deny the allegations levelled against him and has claimed his victims fabricated stories for ulterior motives, including revenge over failed business ventures and a desire to be part of the MeToo movement.

The businessman's manager, who has name suppression, was also jointly charged and found guilty over attempting to dissuade the complainant during the Gold Coast scheme.

He was sentenced to 12 months' home detention.

New Zealand entertainer Mika X, also known as Mika Haka, was also convicted of helping the businessman attempt to derail the court case.

He was sentenced to 11 months' home detention after admitting two charges of attempting to dissuade and bribe the 2016 indecent assault victim from giving evidence.