$2.5M fraud man named in court

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 8

$2.5M fraud man named in court

PA Auckland An interim order suppressing the name of ja Manukau company director who defrauded the Inland Revenue Department of $2.5 million was lifted in the j High Court at Auckland yesterday. ! ! However, Mr Justice Gault ] continued a suppression order on details of how the businssman accomplished the multi-millioh-doliar fraud. . I Graham ! Ashley Robert Palmer] aged 39, was to be Sentenced on a ."vast number?’ of fraud-related charges'. ! j -i; •] Mr i Justice Gault adjourned the sentencirig until March 30, (after Palmer! indicated ! lie wanted ! to call witnesses to give evidence on his behalf. .1 I . | Defence ’ counsel, . Mr Christopher Harder, said Palmer had a deep-felt conviction this evidence should be put’ before the Court. I < j . | Mr Justice Gault said the sentencing was an especially difficult matter because of. the scale of the offending.' The Court

needed as much help as it could'get. He said the frauds were of a magnitude seldom ■seen in this country. ( The Crown prosecutor, Mr Simon Moore, said it was incredible , that Palmer should elect to call witnesses on his behalf at this stage. He said he would have thought any matter in dispute could have been (raised earlier. ’ Mr -Moore said there (had alileady been many adjourhments and another one should not be permitjted. ■ i Mr Justice Jeffries adjourned sentencing for a (week when! Palmer (appeared in the High (Court on March 16 and indicated it i should be seen as a final adjournment. : |- Mr Justice Gault told Mr Harder the courts could not continue to "give final, final and final warnings." J Although suppression of Palmer’s name was lifted, details of how. the frauds were committed would continue to be suppressed.