Gareth Needham. Photo / Natalie Slade
The police officer criticised by a coroner yesterday over his role in the search for toddler Aisling Symes is on stand-down from frontline duty after assaulting a teenager. Read more
Prison sentence had chilling effect on boardrooms – SFO
Adam Feeley SFO
Last year’s jail sentence for directors of a finance company has had “a chilling” effect on boardrooms, Serious Fraud Office (SFO) head Adam Feeley told MPs today.
Two failed finance company Five Star directors were jailed in December for more than two years for misleading investors, some of whom lost millions. Read more
Bankrupt Henderson flees country
Auckland property developer David Henderson could face jail time after he fled the country without official permission, less than a day after he was made bankrupt.
The former rich-lister and Prince Wharf developer was declared bankrupt in the High Court at Auckland last Thursday, over debts of $3.7 million to the IRD.
Regional manager, Official Assignee David Harte said Henderson flew out of New Zealand last Friday, but had made no application for consent to the Official Assignee. Read more
Judge cleared of vandalism wins costs claim against cops
Former District Court Judge Michael Lance after his acquittal. Photo / Greg Bowker
A judge has criticised a police inquiry which accused a retired judge of vandalising a car with a set of keys, saying the charge might not have been laid if the matter had been “critically investigated”.
Michael Lance, a former Queen’s Counsel and district court judge, was charged with scratching a Volkswagen Golf which was blocking the driveway to his North Shore apartment block.
Police feminazi ego tripping: Cop stops car to defend phone use
under the land transport legislation, police officers are exempt from the rules barring motorists from using cellphones. Photo / Kenny Rodger
A policewoman talking into her cellphone while driving pulled over a disapproving motorist just to tell him she was exempt from the phone ban, he says.
North Shore man Shawn Hill says he passed the policewoman while sitting in the passenger seat as his partner drove over the harbour bridge just before 7am on Saturday.
Submissions – evidence please
Hello readers,
Over the past few days we have received a number of submissions and comments that stretch the bounds of credibility. They have also bordered on just plain malicious. Please remember folks we always receive online data that identifies the origin of all submissions sent or posted. Read more
Police charged with drink driving
Five police officers have been charged with drink-driving in the past 12 months – including a senior constable working in an Auckland serious crash unit.
Senior Constable Craig Fraser appeared in the North Shore District Court last week charged with drink driving and was remanded on bail until next month. Read more
Loose lips could hurt cops
Tony Veitch's lawyers were angered by the release of information. Photo / Herald on Sunday
Police could be told off for releasing too much information into the public domain in two high-profile cases – the Tony Veitch saga and one involving a drink-driving flight attendant. Read more
Cops’ evidence turfed out
Two cops under investigation after a judge slammed evidence they gave against a man convicted on driving charges.
Police and the Independent Police Conduct Authority have begun investigating the Palmerston North-based officers after High Court judge Jillian Mallon expressed concerns over erroneous evidence they gave at a defended hearing last year. Read more
Real threat is not these guys
Tame Iti could have been dealt with by the iwi liaison cops. Photo / Alan Gibson
Most of us have probably forgotten the action taken against the Tuhoe people four years ago – dawn raids on so-called terrorists.
This week it’s been revealed that defendants in the case won’t be allowed trial by a jury of their fellow citizens. They will face a lone judge. Read more
Prison guard accused of sex assault on minor
A Wellington women’s prison male guard has been suspended from work after being charged with the sexual violation of a 12-year-old girl.
NZ Herald Editorial: Farmer case is still wide open
Photo / Supplied
Aaron Farmer got a formal apology and $350,000 this week for the 27 months he spent in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Police consider the case closed, but it remains wide open – and it smells. Read more
Police protection is right of every citizen
Sergeant Martin Folan leaving the Auckland District Court. Photo / Dean Purcell
Henderson Sergeant Martin Folan got off on six assault charges against prisoners this week.
A jury wouldn’t convict him despite the word of nine fellow police officers.
Folan said in court, one prisoner “came flying at me … I raised my right leg and pushed him away with the ball of my foot … pushing him off balance.” Read more
Prison guard admits dope charge
A former senior manager at Upper Hutt’s Rimutaka Prison has admitted conspiring to sell cannabis to inmates. Read more
Crackdown takes drink-drive fight into offenders’ homes
Police are tackling high-risk drink-drivers in their own homes and workplaces in a get-tough operation.
Dubbed Operation De-Clutch, the crackdown is targeting a small list of disqualified drink-drivers who have offended at least three times. Read more