An appeal lodged by the former owners of Sentry Hill Winery has been promptly rejected. Stephen and Wendy Parkes appeared in court on Tuesday attempting to get a discharge without conviction, after defrauding New Zealand Customs, on the basis that they were acting on incorrect legal advice in a key case. However, the appeal judge ended up ruling the same as the sentencing judge.
"This is not a case in which the consequences of conviction were out of proportion to the gravity of the offending. Nor is it a case that justifies the Court in exercising its discretion to discharge Mr and Mrs Parkes without conviction," his written ruling said.
The original fines of $3500, along with a reparation order of $13,676.25 in unpaid excise tax, still stand.
