British man not allowed in NZ after scientology "espionage"
A British man who failed to disclose he had been imprisoned for “industrial espionage” against the Church of Scientology in Denmark has been refused permission to settle in New Zealand.
Robin Scott, 62, and his wife Adrienne, 61, left their Canterbury organic farm in March after the Immigration and Protection Tribunal turned down an appeal against a direction for them to leave New Zealand, The Dominion Post newspaper reported.
In his visitor and work visa application in 2005 Mr Scott failed to disclose he had spent a month in a Danish prison before being deported in 1984.
He told authorities of the “industrial espionage” charge only four years later.
In the incident, Mr Scott waited outside a scientology property in Copenhagen while two others disguised as senior church officials entered and left with teaching materials.
A former church member, Mr Scott intended to use the materials in a business he had set up for those wanting to study scientology from outside the organisation.
The couple both admitted in their 2005 application they had served prison sentences in the 1990s for cannabis charges while living in Britain.
Mrs Scott had been accepted for registration as a teacher in New Zealand, despite the cannabis charges.