Wheatley Appeals Sentence

An Australian appeals court judge granted talent manager Glenn Wheatley permission to appeal the length of his 30-month jail sentence.

Wheatley, whose high-profile clients have included Little River Band, John Farnham and Delta Goodrem, pleaded guilty in July to charges including avoiding payment of $318,000 in taxes and an unknown amount to creditors, the Age reported.

Justice Alex Chernov of the Victorian Court of Appeal expressed surprise that Wheatley was asked to serve the sentences for his three crimes cumulatively rather than concurrently. Otherwise, Wheatley would be serving only seven months.

Wheatley’s lawyers claim that county court judge Tim Wood failed to take into account a legislation change that halved the maximum penalty for one of Wheatley’s convictions.

They also say the sentences should have been concurrently given and that he was cooperative with authorities. Wheatley’s appeal will be heard by three judges at a date to be set.