Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 2, 2011 17:23:25 GMT 12
Former MP jailed for contempt
ROB O'NEILL
Last updated 13:14 02/02/2011
Former National MP Trevor Rogers was sent to jail for one month this morning after a High Court hearing in Auckland over ownership of the designs for an unmanned stealth military helicopter.
In December Rogers was ordered to comply with court orders to hand over the designs and other intellectual property to receivers of TGR Helicorp or face jail for contempt at today’s hearing.
He has for several years been developing the "Snark" unmanned helicopter, which among other unique attributes runs on diesel fuel, and sought to export the aircraft but these efforts were blocked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the grounds that it could be used, in effect, as a cruise missile.
Rogers put his company into receivership in February 2008 and told receivers all assets had been sold or destroyed. He was also reported to be preparing to move the business overseas.
However, the receivers were not satisfied with his response and obtained search orders to uncover company assets including designs and prototypes for the Snark and another helicopter to be used for high altitude alpine rescues.
Rogers and his wife Glenda were directors of TGR and, through a trust, majority shareholders.
The search orders were issued in August 2008 and May 2009 and uncovered TGR assets in the possession or control of the Rogers, Justice Peter Woodhouse wrote in a December judgment.
Receivers for TGR then sought orders that Mr and Mrs Rogers be committed to prison for continuing contempt of Court orders requiring them to disclose the whereabouts of further assets of TGR, most importantly detailed designs.
"The defendants have admitted misleading the Court and others, and in some cases deliberately lying to the Court, and to others, in stating on earlier occasions that they had disposed of other assets," a December High Court judgment said.
"These other assets were found when search orders were executed. Once found, or at least at the hearing on the contempt application, the defendants admitted their earlier lies or other deceptions."
US website Gizmag.com describes the Snark as the "meanest" unmanned combat aerial vehicle. It is constructed of carbon fibre and kevlar, is light and fast with speed up to 280 km/h. It is also extremely quiet and virtually invisible to radar or infrared detetection as it recycles its exhaust gases, the site writes.
The vehicle can also carry a payload of 680kg in firepower or in surveillance equipment.
One of the searches found emails indicating that over an extended period, after as well as before execution of the first search orders, the defendants were attempting to sell the intellectual property and other assets of the company.
"Some of the emails also record express statements by Mr Rogers to the addressees overseas that he had the IP," the court said before ordering that if he failed to comply with detailed orders to
the satisfaction of the Court by today’s hearing he would be sent to prison for one month.
- Sunday Star Times
www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4608910/Former-MP-jailed-for-contempt
ROB O'NEILL
Last updated 13:14 02/02/2011
Former National MP Trevor Rogers was sent to jail for one month this morning after a High Court hearing in Auckland over ownership of the designs for an unmanned stealth military helicopter.
In December Rogers was ordered to comply with court orders to hand over the designs and other intellectual property to receivers of TGR Helicorp or face jail for contempt at today’s hearing.
He has for several years been developing the "Snark" unmanned helicopter, which among other unique attributes runs on diesel fuel, and sought to export the aircraft but these efforts were blocked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the grounds that it could be used, in effect, as a cruise missile.
Rogers put his company into receivership in February 2008 and told receivers all assets had been sold or destroyed. He was also reported to be preparing to move the business overseas.
However, the receivers were not satisfied with his response and obtained search orders to uncover company assets including designs and prototypes for the Snark and another helicopter to be used for high altitude alpine rescues.
Rogers and his wife Glenda were directors of TGR and, through a trust, majority shareholders.
The search orders were issued in August 2008 and May 2009 and uncovered TGR assets in the possession or control of the Rogers, Justice Peter Woodhouse wrote in a December judgment.
Receivers for TGR then sought orders that Mr and Mrs Rogers be committed to prison for continuing contempt of Court orders requiring them to disclose the whereabouts of further assets of TGR, most importantly detailed designs.
"The defendants have admitted misleading the Court and others, and in some cases deliberately lying to the Court, and to others, in stating on earlier occasions that they had disposed of other assets," a December High Court judgment said.
"These other assets were found when search orders were executed. Once found, or at least at the hearing on the contempt application, the defendants admitted their earlier lies or other deceptions."
US website Gizmag.com describes the Snark as the "meanest" unmanned combat aerial vehicle. It is constructed of carbon fibre and kevlar, is light and fast with speed up to 280 km/h. It is also extremely quiet and virtually invisible to radar or infrared detetection as it recycles its exhaust gases, the site writes.
The vehicle can also carry a payload of 680kg in firepower or in surveillance equipment.
One of the searches found emails indicating that over an extended period, after as well as before execution of the first search orders, the defendants were attempting to sell the intellectual property and other assets of the company.
"Some of the emails also record express statements by Mr Rogers to the addressees overseas that he had the IP," the court said before ordering that if he failed to comply with detailed orders to
the satisfaction of the Court by today’s hearing he would be sent to prison for one month.
- Sunday Star Times
www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4608910/Former-MP-jailed-for-contempt
