Field to pay some of it baack

Stuff reports:

Disgraced former MP Taito Philip Field has been ordered to pay more than $27,000 to the Solicitor-General for unpaid work carried out on his homes.

Field was found guilty of 11 counts of bribery and 15 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice in 2009, after he accepted work on his houses from Thai nationals in return for immigration assistance.

He was sent to jail for six years.

Following the case, the Solicitor General applied for Field to pay the money back – an amount he said was $58,000. Field argued it was only $15,000.

It is alleged the four New Zealand properties involved were sold at a profit of $387,500 after being held, on average, for about 18 months.

In a judgement released today, Judge Rodney Hansen ordered Field to pay back $27, 480 – the cost of painting and plastering at the properties, as well as the cost of tiling, painting and plastering at a home in Samoa.

Hopefully that money will make its way to the immigrant labour that worked for free or below minimum wage on his properties.