McManus Clarifies Legal Issues

Australian concert promoter Andrew McManus will be sentenced March 31, 2017, in the Sydney District Court after pleading guilty Aug. 23 to “attempting to pervert the course of justice” following police charges relating to an incident involving cash in a suitcase in a Sydney hotel room. However, McManus in a statement released on his behalf Sept. 8 points out that this charge was later amended.

“It has now been confined to a four-month period in 2012. His role in the offence was limited and it was committed at a time when he was suffering serious psychiatric trauma, in part due to the breakdown of his marriage in 2011.

“Since 2012, Mr McManus has made significant progress in dealing with these issues and has endeavoured to establish himself in the music industry that he loves and has enjoyed so much success in.” In the statement, the veteran promoter pointed out that three other charges had been withdrawn on the day “and dismissed by the NSW Police and Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).” These were two counts of “publishing a false statement with the intention of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage” and one count of “participating in a criminal group.”

The statement emphasised, “Contrary to some media reports, the police have never alleged that Mr McManus was ever involved in any money laundering or drug syndicate or that he was ever in possession of the $702,000 at the centre of this saga.”

The statement added, “Mr McManus is deeply remorseful for his conduct and will take his justice in the District Court on 31 March 2017. Mr McManus has been cooperative with the police at all times in relation to this matter.” After touring KISS and Def Leppard over the last 12 months, his Raggamuffin music festival at Trust Stadium in Auckland is to go ahead as planned Feb. 18.