Serepisos arrested at airport:

Bankrupt property developer Terry Serepisos says he is “flabbergasted” after being arrested at the airport over a few thousand dollars in unpaid child support.

The former Phoenix football club owner appeared in Family Court in Wellington this morning after he was detained at Wellington Airport by police on his return from several months in Greece last night.

Speaking outside court today, Serepisos said the arrest appeared to relate to unpaid child support for his 19-year-old son, who has been living with him for the past five years.

“But he is not a little child, he is a grown-up man.”

He said the details were still unclear but he did not believe he owed the “few thousand” in child support claimed by Inland Revenue.

He said authorities had approved his travel overseas to deal with family matters and had made no attempt to contact him while he was in Greece. He was not facing any criminal charges.

“I didn’t even know there was a warrant or anything out there to turn up at court.

“I was quite flabbergasted when I turned up at the airport and suddenly I am arrested.”

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In an updated version of the above report:

The Official Assignee, which administers bankruptcies, has filed papers in the High Court in Wellington objecting to the automatic discharging of Serepisos from bankruptcy next month, a spokesman said in a statement.

In a secret court somewhere in Wellington a decision is being made, not just about Serepisos, but about New Zealand males.

Why was Serepisos arrested?

I am going to assume it was to ensure his presence in court to legitimise the decision the IRD are seeking. (He has a right to be at a hearing that is about him)