High-profile references for guilty wine boss

A former All Blacks coach, an ex-Olympic rower and rich-lister, and a high-profile chairman went in to bat for former wine boss Peter Scutts who was sentenced to eight months’ home detention yesterday. Scutts, 59, a former chief executive of the Auckland Blues rugby franchise, will serve that sentence at an undisclosed address. He had references when appearing in the High Court at Auckland yesterday from former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry, broadcaster Murray Deaker, former Olympic rower Peter Masfen and high-profile businessman Michael Stiassny.