Disgraced Glenn Wheatley freed from jail and home
DISGRACED music promoter Glenn Wheatley is back home after being freed from jail. His wife Gaynor cooked his favourite roast and spoke about a joyous reunion.
DISGRACED music promoter Glenn Wheatley plans to get back to work and "redeem" himself after being freed from jail.
The 60-year-old last night sat down to his first home cooked meal in 10 months - his wife Gaynor's roast lemon chicken - as he begins a five-month home detention stint.
His first words to his wife were "I think I love you, honey," as the pair and son Tim drove from the gates of Beechworth prison about 5am yesterday. They arrived at the family's South Yarra home at 9.20am in his luxury BMW 4WD.
Wheatley's star client, Australian music icon John Farnham, was the first to call and offer his congratulations and support following his friend's pre-dawn release.
Mrs Wheatley said it was a joyous reunion for her and her husband after 10 months apart.
"It has been horrific for us all, it's been long, it's been arduous but I think he did the wrong thing. He copped it on the chin; he is doing his time and he's still got time to do," she said.
"He's very relieved to be back home and very happy, great to be back with the kids."
His daughter Samantha said: "So great to have Dad home! It has been such a long wait, we are all just very happy to be under the same roof again."
"He's going to get back to work and spend a lot of time redeeming himself in everybody's eyes and I'm going to help him as much as I can to do that," Mrs Wheatley said.
She added that Wheatley, who was jailed last July after admitting defrauding the tax office by failing to declare income had started a radio project and that he may work with Farnham on tour plans.
Industry heavyweight Michael Gudinski said he would discuss business with Wheatley. "In the right situation, I certainly would not be opposed to (it)," he said.
"There would be many Australian artists out there who would be certainly interested in approaching him," he said.
Wheatley will be forced to conduct his business dealings from his home over the next five months but can seek permission to leave the house to conduct certain duties.
Wheatley was jailed for a minimum of 15 months after admitting defrauding the tax office by failing to declare income from a John Farnham concert and a boxing match he was promoting.
In prison, he spent much of his time working out in the gym, gardening and writing music for fellow prisoners.
After his release, he was fitted with an electronic ankle bracelet which will set off an alarm if he leaves home without Justice Department approval.
He will also face random drug and alcohol tests, unannounced home visits and phone checks and covert monitoring if he is away from home with permission.
His wife was last year fined for failing to provide a tax return for the 2005 financial year.