The Allan Hubbard Saga has just taken a bizarre and unexpected twist.
As reported in the NBR this morning, Hubbard's official support team have been sending MRI brain scans to the Serious Fraud Office. To what end is unclear but one can see Mr Hubbard's Lawyers might be trying for the sympathy vote. If he can be seen as doddery, unable to understand detail and incapable of thinking clearly(hang on isn't that what this is all about anyway!) then there is the possibility a poor judge with charges brought before him by the SFO against Hubbard might be inclined to set them side because of Hubbard's delicate mental and physical shape:
But legal and medical specialists says they are astonished by that and suspect the use of an MRI brain scan is part of an attempt to prove Mr Hubbard is not fit to stand trial.
Both Serious Fraud Office director Adam Feeley and Mr Hubbard’s lawyer, Russell McVeagh partner Mike Heron, have indicated a decision on whether the Timaru accountant will face charges over Aorangi Securities is likely to be made late next week.
NBR understands the Serious Fraud Office has not requested any medical information about Mr Hubbard.
With impending charges due from the SFO next week, Hubbard's legal team is looking increasingly desperate to keep their man from facing serious charges of fraud, forgery, incomplete and missing paperwork. Clearly his lawyers think the SFO and other Government agencies have a strong case against their man otherwise their defence would be one of them gathering their own evidence against the charges rather than pleading a lack of mental capacity to stand trial.
The self appointed unofficial Hubbard Support team, who includes traveling salesman Paul Carruthers and religious devotee Michelle Halliwell, this time appear to be the sane ones with a really good point made on Hubbard's Lawyers possible plea:
“a slippery road that we do not want to go down under any circumstances” as it raised the prospect of an end-game. “What if they say he is not fit for trial? Therefore he can’t run a company [and] it allows them to strike him off the companies register while bypassing the courts,” Paul Carruthers NBR
Although a contrary opinion from his supporters, who have thus far been publicly rallying for a quashing of any charges and an abandonment of a trial, Mr Carruthers and his fellow travelers have now done a sensible 180 degree turn and are right that if a trial is abandoned then the public are not going to see a clear decision about whether Hubbard is guilty or not of the charges thus far only brought against him in the media and investigated by the SFO and several other Government and private agencies.
I agree, we need a clear decision on his guilt or other and that is why the charges need to be placed and the trial needs to go ahead.
Allan Hubbard Saga
Full SFO Statement on SCF Fraud Investigation
Hubbard Letter to Simon Power
Download Grant Thornton Report 1Download Grant Thornton Report 2Download Grant Thornton Report 3Download Grant Thornton Report 4Download Grant Thornton Report 5Join the Put Allan Hubbard Away Facebook GroupAllan Hubbard Saga: Hubbard Defiant in 2011Book Review: Allan Hubbard: Man Out of Time, by Virginia GreenAllan Hubbard Saga: VIDEO - Hubbard Biographer Virginia Green on TVNZ's BreakfastBook Extract - Allan Hubbard: Man Out of TimeAllan Hubbard Saga: Going Feral - Part 3, The Final CutAllan Hubbard Saga: Going Feral - Part 2Allan Hubbard Saga: Paul Carruthers Goes Feral... AgainAllan Hubbard: The BiographyAllan Hubbard Saga: On Forged Signatures and Uncharitable TrustsAllan Hubbard Saga: Evidence of Fraud now ClearAllan Hubbard Saga: NBR VS the SFOAllan Hubbard Saga: South Canterbury Finance to be investigated by the SFOAllan Hubbard Saga: Third Grant Thornton ReportAllan Hubbard Saga: Will He Walk?Allan Hubbard Saga: No Longer Bothered by BotherwayAllan Hubbard Saga: 60 Minutes Interview, Sept 23 2010Allan Hubbard Saga: Supporters head to the exit doorAllan Hubbard Saga: Threats & the Mysterious PWC ReportAllan Hubbard Supporters: Conflict of InterestVW Veneer reveals BMW heartVIDEO: Jenni McManus Explains Allan Hubbard CollapseAllan Hubbard Statement on SCF ReceivershipVIDEO: Sandy Maier - full news conference on SCF ReceivershipMarket Alert: South Canterbury Finance to be placed in ReceivershipAllan Hubbard: Ignorant Supporters Blissfully UnawareThornton Report 2: Allan Hubbard Guilty as ChargedAllan Hubbard: Full TV3 Interview - July 16 2010Thornton Report 1: Allan Hubbard's Aorangi SecuritiesBothered by Simon Botherway
c Share Investor 2011