Still in denial

NZ Herald Court Reporter Andrew Koubaridis is having a look back at high profile trials from last year, including former Labour MP Taito Philip Field:

Taito Phillip Field was charged with 35 offences that were alleged to have occurred when he was a Labour MP and minister outside the Cabinet.

He was eventually found guilty of 11 bribery and corruption charges and 15 counts of wilfully perverting the course of justice and sentenced to six years’ jail.

Apart from marking a spectacular fall from grace for Field, this trial was significant because it was the first time a New Zealand politician had been convicted of bribery and corruption.

He continues to deny any wrongdoing and is appealing against his conviction and sentence. An appeal date has yet to be set.

Field is not the only one who continues to deny wrongdoing. Not only has no one from Labour apologized for their defence of his corruption, they have refused to even state that they now admit he broke the law and was corrupt. The most they could bring themselves to do was say they acknowledge the verdict – not even that they accept it.