Case against businessman withdrawn

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A contempt of court application against Auckland-based American businessman Vince Siemer was withdrawn today after he removed material from the internet.

The material led to an allegation by the Solicitor-General that Siemer had breached a suppression order in a criminal case.

The High Court was told that Siemer had undertaken not to breach the suppression order in future.

Siemer was arrested last Tuesday for failing to appear in court over the issue.

He was held in the cells until he made an appearance later in the day, when he was remanded at large to today.

Last December, the High Court ordered Siemer to pay Vector chairman Michael Peter Stiassny $920,000 for defamatory comments stretching back to 2005.

Mr Stiassny was appointed as a receiver of Siemer's firm, Paragon Services, in July 2001.

Two months earlier, Siemer was jailed for six months for contempt of court for failing to remove defamatory material from his website.

He was granted bail, pending an appeal against the sentence, which is due to be heard in the Supreme Court next month.

- NZPA