IPCA confirms fourth investigation related to Jevon McSkimming scandal

Friday, 21 November 2025

The police watchdog has confirmed a fourth investigation related to the Jevon McSkimming scandal is under way, as it closes out two investigations into matters related to the disgraced former deputy police commissioner.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) on Friday said it was investigating a complaint relating to how the arrest of a woman who complained about McSkimming was conducted, and how materials seized from her premises were handled.

Confirmation of another investigation related to the McSkimming scandal means the IPCA has undertaken investigations into: the police executive’s handling of complaints against McSkimming, a police investigation into sexual misconduct allegations, a police investigation into McSkimming’s possession of objectionable material, and now the arrest of the McSkimming’s complainant.

IPCA board chair Liz Sinclair, in a statement, said the watchdog would make public a summary of the outcome of its oversight of police investigations into the sexual misconduct and the possession of objectionable images, however a timeframe for this being released could not be given.

The authority provided oversight of these police investigations as they were ongoing. Such “category B” IPCA investigations has the watchdog regularly communicating with police investigators, giving feedback at different stages of the police investigation, and reviewing both the evidence the police rely on and the adequacy of the investigation at its end, Sinclair said.

McSkimming, a former police deputy commissioner who earlier this month pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing child sexual exploitation and bestiality material, was revealed last week by the IPCA, after a suppression order lifted, to have engaged in an affair with a young woman, who McSkimming later helped get a job in police.

The woman, called “Ms Z” by the IPCA, subsequently repeatedly complained to police about McSkimming’s conduct. But police, with then-police commissioner Andrew Coster’s knowledge, treated the complaints as harassment and had the woman arrested and prosecuted under the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

The charges related to the Ms Z’s repeated complaints regarding McSkimming were later dropped, but the woman continues to face charges regarding her subsequent contact with the police officer who arrested her.

The saga has continued to ripple out. The Post on Friday reported that an electorate staffer of Police Minister Mark Mitchell’s, who is also his sister, responded to an email from Ms Z complaining of McSkimming.

Mitchell had last week confirmed his ministerial office received 36 emails from Ms Z but a staffer diverted these to police commissioner’s office, under instruction from Coster’s office, leaving Mitchell unaware of complaints about McSkimming until an IPCA investigation was disclosed to him by Coster in November 2024.

But The Post reporting revealed that half of those emails — 17 of the 36 — were sent not to his Beehive office but to Mitchell’s Whangaparāoa electorate office throughout January and February 2024.

At least one of those emails received a reply from Parliamentary Senior Member Support staffer Lisa Mitchell, who asked such emails instead be sent to an address for his Wellington ministerial office.

In a statement to The Post on Thursday, Mitchell said the emails received by his electorate office were forwarded on to Parliament.

“Of the 36 emails sent in relation to Jevon McSkimming, 17 of those emails went to my electorate office,” he said. “The correct process was followed, with those emails forwarded to the ministerial inbox for actioning. Electorate staff are not employed by Ministerial Services and do not deal with ministerial correspondence.”

Police engage KC to investigate staff

Separately from IPCA investigations, police has hired a high-powered King’s Counsel to conduct an employment investigation into three staff who remain at police and were involved in the handling of complaints against McSkimming.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, in a statement provided by the police media team, confirmed he had hired Kristy McDonald, KC “to carry out employment inquiries into matters raised by the IPCA”.

“Ms McDonald is a highly experienced and respected King’s Counsel, whose integrity and independence is beyond question,” he said.

“It is important an experienced and independent person conducts employment investigations in this matter, and I must let that process take place.“

McDonald has a reputation for handling difficult and sensitive matters for government agencies. She represented police during the 2007 Bazley Inquiry into mishandling complaints of sexual assault made against police officers by Louise Nicholas.

McDonald has also represented the Crown during a Royal Commission into the Pike River mine disaster, assisted both the Operation Burnham and Covid-19 (phase two) inquires, represented the justice minister in a judicial review filed by murder-accused David Bain, and represented the Crown in historic abuse cases.

Police have not yet answered other questions put to them on Tuesday, including: what investigations related to the McSkimming case and the IPCA report are ongoing, and whether prosecution is being considered of anyone named in the IPCA report.

– Additional reporting Andrea Vance