Prominent businessman's manager sentenced for attempting to dissuade witness

A man has been sentenced to 12 months home detention for his role in a plot to dissuade a complainant from coming forward over indecent assault charges.

The man is the manager of a prominent businessman, who was convicted in March of indecently assaulting three men.

Justice Geoffrey Venning said on Wednesday that the manager’s offending was serious, premeditated, and cynical, but influenced out of misplaced loyalty to his employer.

The businessman was also due to be sentenced on Wednesday but has been postponed due to ill health. 

Both men continue to have name suppression.

The rich-lister was in March was found guilty of indecently assaulting three men in the early 2000s, 2008 and 2016. The businessman was also found guilty of trying to stop a witness from giving evidence.

Kiwi entertainer Mika X also pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to dissuade and bribe a complainant from giving evidence against the businessman. X was sentenced in the Auckland High Court on Tuesday to 11 months' home detention.