16 September 2004

Police Explanation Unsatisfactory Says Peters

Rt Hon Winston Peters says the Police statement about the incident involving Phillip Layton Edwards in Morningside in September 2002 simply raises more questions about the case.

Mr Peters said the statement confirms that the Police were satisfied that “offences occurred”, “dna and a fingerprint were found at the scene”, and that for some reason Police “had some concerns for the safety of the complainant and his family”.

“Also, it is astonishing that Police had an ‘off the record’ discussion with the suspect when he was in prison nearly eight months after the offence occurred!

“Why were Police suddenly concerned that there might have been an actual or potential ongoing risk to the householders?

“Why was the suspect trespassed from the complainant’s property?

“When was he trespassed – when he was in prison?”

Mr Peters said that it was unfortunate that Edwards’ victim was “too traumatised” to give evidence and pointed out that many other traumatised crime victims went to court to give evidence.

“It is obvious that a crime was committed, that police had proof the offender was there and that they had concerns about the complainant’s safety.

“The outcome of the case is very unsatisfactory. We will be seeking more answers,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>