The sentencing of Rural & General founder and MD Charles Pratten has been delayed for the second time.

The NSW Supreme Court found Pratten guilty of seven counts of dishonestly obtaining by deception a financial advantage from the Commonwealth.

Sentencing was delayed in July after Pratten changed his legal team, while today’s delay was due to the hospitalisation of his solicitor, meaning he could not instruct barristers and prepare reports for the hearing.

Lawyers for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the adjournment. Justice Stephen Rothman rescheduled the sentencing hearing to November 22.

Barristers for Pratten last week filed a summons against the Commonwealth disputing several procedural matters in the case.

These relate to the way the Australian Taxation Office obtained documents from federal police, whether Justice Rothman had the jurisdiction to assess Pratten’s tax return during the trial and whether each instance of failing to disclose income should have had a separate charge.

Justice Rothman says the summons may be a matter for the Court of Appeal, while barristers for the Commonwealth have called it “an abuse of process”. Directions for that matter will be held on October 8.