Politics πŸ—³οΈ NZ Politics

It always seemed strange to me as to why the Police didn't investigate the McSkimming case properly.... sending him emails saying she'd go public if he didn't pay her would not have helped her case at all.

Jevon McSkimming saga: Emails to ex-Deputy Commissioner demanded β€˜$600 for every sexual act’​


The woman at the centre of the Jevon McSkimming scandal appears to have demanded money from the former Deputy Commissioner of Police, requesting β€œ$600 for every sexual act” that had occurred between the pair, urging him to β€œpay up and this will end”.

The demands for cash payments are contained in a tranche of emails obtained by the Herald.

A source who served as a police detective for decades said the number of emails, including those requesting money, would have influenced how officers approached their inquiries into claims from the woman that McSkimming was a sexual predator.

β€œThe credibility of a complainant is a big deal. When there are 300 emails coming in, and lots of allegations, it makes it really difficult to establish if we [police] are going to get this to court,” the source said.
Before police launched a formal investigation into McSkimming, he was sent an email on February 9, 2024, saying he should β€œpay promptly” for the β€œfree sex” he received β€œthrough deception” while married.

β€œSeems like you have more than enough to cover the costs, especially with the promotion,” the email said, referring to McSkimming’s elevation to Deputy Commissioner, announced in April 2023.

The unsigned email was sent from an anonymous Gmail address.

The Herald sent a summary of the emails our newsroom obtained – dated between February 9 and February 18, 2024 – to the woman known only as Ms Z, who responded through her lawyer Steven Lack.

Her statement did not confirm or deny whether she wrote the emails.

β€œI accept that not every step I took in raising my concerns was the right one,” she said.

β€œI struggled with the knowledge that he remained in a position of authority within the New Zealand Police, particularly given what he had done to me.”

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report released last November, which heavily criticised how police responded to Ms Z’s allegations about McSkimming’s conduct, didn’t refer to the emails about requests for cash payments obtained by the Herald.

While the IPCA said Ms Z has not β€œexpressly admitted” sending emails it referred to in its report, the authors β€œproceeded on the basis that she did”.

Five emails asking McSkimming for cash payments were from the same Gmail address as an email quoted by the IPCA in its report.

That email was sent on February 9 to McSkimming, former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster and Police Minister Mark Mitchell and accused McSkimming of rape.

β€œIf you were lied to then does that mean you consent? Jevon perhaps before you try cover up your behaviour with legal threats you should disclose to Andrew Coster your behaviour and have a look at international legal precedents classifying sex by deception as rape,” that email said.

A criminal investigation into Ms Z’s claims of sexual offending, which finally began in October 2024, and included officers from the National Integrity Unit interviewing her on three occasions, ended without McSkimming being charged because of a lack of evidence.

During the investigation, police also discovered that McSkimming had used his work phone and laptop to view objectionable material, including child sex abuse and bestiality material, for which he was convicted and sentenced to nine months’ home detention.

The IPCA’s report last November separately found that Ms Z’s anonymous concerns to police had been met with β€œinaction”.

It found β€œsignificant failings” by senior police and highlighted an unquestioning acceptance of McSkimming’s narrative as being key to those failures.

Newly appointed Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said Ms Z had been β€œignored” and accused high-ranking officers of being part of a β€œcover-up”.

β€˜Pay promptly’ – what else was in the emails​

Eighteen minutes after the first email seeking payment landed in McSkimming’s inbox on February 9, another email was sent from the same account detailing the amount of cash being sought.

β€œ$600 for every time [I was] deceived into performing any sexual act,” the email said.

Just over an hour and a half later, a follow-up email from the same account stated, β€œpay up and this will end”.

On February 10, another email obtained by the Herald that demanded payment was sent to McSkimming.

β€œPlease pay by the end of Monday for my services to assist with your little lull in your marriage,” it reads.

On February 13, an email sent from a different Gmail account reiterated the request for β€œ$600 for every sexual act”.

That was followed by another email just over one minute later that appeared to suggest the number of sex acts that required payment.

β€œYou can email my personal email for an account number and estimate around 300 times would do,” it said.

On February 16, an email from another anonymous Gmail account asked, β€œwhere’s the payment?”

Two days later, on February 18, an email was sent from a separate Gmail account expressing disappointment the affair hadn’t resulted in McSkimming ending his marriage.

β€œImagine wasting your life focusing on some guy who ... has every intention of staying married,” it said.

Nineteen minutes later another email was sent from the same account saying, β€œPay up for damaging my brain just like I make other s*** places pay for f***ing with me”.

That was followed by another email later that day which appeared to suggest a scaled-back arrangement for payment.

β€œMaybe 600 for 100 acts is more palatable for you.”

Three minutes later, another email from a different Gmail address said, β€œHey Jevon, $600 for 100 acts and then I will go away for good”.

McSkimming declined to comment on the nature of the emails when approached by the Herald.

The IPCA’s report said McSkimming told colleagues he’d been engaged in a mutually consensual affair, which was followed by the β€œrantings and allegations” of a β€œwoman scorned” – upset because he called off the relationship.

One of the anonymous Gmail accounts used to request payment for sex acts on February 18 was the same address Ms Z used to contact one of the IPCA’s investigators in early January 2024.

The same Gmail address was also used to contact Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Police Minister Mark Mitchell in late December 2023.

That email made allegations of assault against McSkimming and was also sent to media, including the Herald, and to members of the then police executive, including former Commissioner Andrew Coster.

The IPCA said in its report that Ms Z sent a series of β€œoften graphic” emails β€œover a period of years” alleging misconduct by McSkimming using anonymous email accounts.

β€œConcerningly, some within police failed to recognise that a possible victim of sexual assault, who had allegedly been told for years by a very senior police officer that she would not be listened to ... might present as a desperate person sending sometimes extreme and abusive emails in an attempt to be heard,” it said.

β€œWe [the police] should have been looking at it right from the beginning ... she’s essentially just emailing into the abyss ... people get desperate.”

The police watchdog said Ms Z and McSkimming had a sexual relationship between 2016 and 2017 after meeting at a sports club.

When they met, she was a 21-year-old student, he was a 42-year-old police superintendent.

McSkimming disclosed the affair to his wife and employer in May 2018, which is when McSkimming said Ms Z started threatening him, according to a colleague interviewed by the IPCA.

Source: Emails would β€˜colour’ decision-making​


The source who served as a police detective for decades told the Herald that establishing whether allegations form a clear-cut case, that could result in a prosecution, is key to any investigation.

β€œIt does colour how everything is approached,” they said.

The source said a β€œcommonsense test” is applied, which would include how a complainant might behave under cross-examination, and the emails, including those obtained by the Herald, would β€œcolour” how police viewed the situation in terms of whether a prosecution would succeed.

β€œThe standard of proof for any prosecution is proving the case beyond reasonable doubt,” they said.

The Herald asked the IPCA why it didn’t include the emails demanding payments for sex acts in its report. Investigations manager Stu Graham said he couldn’t comment as β€œthere are related matters” before the court.

β€˜Not every step I took was right’: Ms Z​


Ms Z did not directly address some of the Herald’s questions about the emails but has said she regretted some of the actions she took while trying to raise her concerns about McSkimming.

Despite the police decision not to charge McSkimming for sexual offending against her, Ms Z has repeated claims she was abused by him.

In response to questions from the Herald, she said her motivation was to ensure he was made accountable.

β€œI regret some aspects of how I sought to have those concerns addressed.” .

The IPCA’s investigation into the controversy surrounding the former Deputy Commissioner is not over – there’s another report imminent.

The authority’s second report will examine whether the police investigation into claims of sexual misconduct by Ms Z was β€œrobust and appropriate”.

It will also consider whether police inquiries into McSkimming’s possession of objectionable images, which led to his conviction, was β€œadequate”.

Meanwhile, a prosecution of Ms Z over online harassment after a complaint from McSkimming was abandoned in September last year.

After the case was dropped, another complaint was made by a separate police officer and his wife after he started investigating Ms Z. The officer alleged Ms Z had harassed the pair with unwanted emails.

That complaint resulted in charges being laid under the Harmful Digital Communications Act and the case remains before the court.

 
:) believe me there's no love lost with me and AT, having been a victim of the park rd bus lane rort.
Was up at the airport yesterday and all the way in from Manukau there were T2 and T3 lanes with no one in them. Not having them here in the Provinces, does anyone use them or are they another revenue gathering exercise as well?

The trip to Auckland from here was probably one of the worst i have ever done. Roadworks and the general state of the roads are diabolical. The new expressways are all well and good only if the feeder roads work. 6 hour trip back home last night
 
Was up at the airport yesterday and all the way in from Manukau there were T2 and T3 lanes with no one in them. Not having them here in the Provinces, does anyone use them or are they another revenue gathering exercise as well?
Having used them (with others in the car) from time to time, it is bloody good when you are able to do so. The feeling of driving past all the people stuck in traffic is indescribable. A legal high

However, in many cases (like some bus lanes), they are a waste of road. They should probably use dynamic signs that are able to be changed when traffic is low / high so that traffic can be managed dynamically
 
Was up at the airport yesterday and all the way in from Manukau there were T2 and T3 lanes with no one in them. Not having them here in the Provinces, does anyone use them or are they another revenue gathering exercise as well?

The trip to Auckland from here was probably one of the worst i have ever done. Roadworks and the general state of the roads are diabolical. The new expressways are all well and good only if the feeder roads work. 6 hour trip back home last night
Mate, if it's not on a Holiday Highway to either Northland or Coro, us Aucklanders don't care about the state of the roads in the provinces.... as long as our time driving to Omaha or Whangamata doesn't take too long.... otherwise, we just go by helicopter.
 
Mate, if it's not on a Holiday Highway to either Northland or Coro, us Aucklanders don't care about the state of the roads in the provinces.... as long as our time driving to Omaha or Whangamata doesn't take too long.... otherwise, we just go by helicopter.
Assuming to the road to the airport is still being worked on? Has been for the last decade
 
Assuming to the road to the airport is still being worked on? Has been for the last decade
Will, the nickname for Auckland wasn't changed from the "City of Sails" to the "City of Cones" for no reason. Every time you think they've finished, something else starts.

The main road we live off is about to be turned from three lanes (one is an active lane which changes direction depending on the time of the day) to two lanes in both directions plus a permanent bus lane heading west as part of the Mill Road project - a 21km road upgrade from Manukau to Drury. Part of our shared accessway is required and we've currently have our lawyer reading over the acquisition and lease contract.

When the Mill Road project was first announced, the then head of Auckland Transport (David Warburton), the then mayor (Len Brown) and then Transport Minister (Judith Collins) would all have benefitted from it. Warburton's daughter and grand children live in Papakura and Brown lived off the Redoubt Road extension while Collins was out near Whitford. Nothing like using your personal circumstances to make live easier for yourself.

Both Brown and Warburton got heavily criticized back in the day.... Warburton for refusing to take the free AT bus for employees from their offices in the CBD out to Henderson.... while promoting public transport to safe the environment, he drove between Henderson and the CBD in his personal V8 Falcon. Brown got criticized for catching the train to work.... while having the mayoral limo going into town on the southern motorway beside the train he was on. Crusher... will she's just mad anyway.
 
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