Court fight over ex-All Black's finances to end after 'eleventh hour' settlement
Former All Black and Crusaders star Andrew Mehrtens has been back in court today facing a bankruptcy application.
But that application will be withdrawn after an “eleventh hour hustle” just before the hearing, during which the rugby great signed a settlement agreement.
The application to have Mehrtens adjudicated bankrupt was first called at the High Court at Christchurch in May, by Christchurch law firm Saunders Robinson Brown.
The case has been adjourned several times since then to allow “for a part payment to be made”.
The case was called again today before Associate Judge Dale Lester.
Mehrtens was not present in court today.
A lawyer for Saunders Robinson Brown told the court there had been “an eleventh hour hustle” in “the last 20 minutes” after a proposal for settlement was put forward to Mehrtens.
Both parties needed to formally sign that settlement agreement and once that was done Saunders Robinson Brown indicated it would seek to withdraw its application.
The matter will be called again in August to confirm the settlement and withdrawal.
In recent years Mehrtens has been living in Sydney, working as a rugby commentator and analyst for Stan Sport.
In that role, he has covered Super Rugby Pacific and international fixtures, and co-hosts the rugby discussion show Between Two Posts.
Crusaders' Justin Marshall and Andrew Mehrtens celebrate after winning the 2005 Super 12 final. Photo / Photosport
He also spends time living in France.
The court has previously refused media access to further information about the case.
The Press sought the release of financial information related to the proceeding, including the amount of debt.
Mehrtens opposed the information being released, stating it would cause him “irreversible reputational harm”.
He argued that harm would be disproportionate to any legitimate public interest in the matter and accused the media outlet of pursuing “prurient” information, rather than genuine public interest.
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers Christchurch issues and national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for more than 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence and homicides. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz.
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