The killing of George Tipene Harris:

What happened to George Tipene Harris is as shocking as what happened to his cousin, Nicholas Ward Harris.  Both murdered by taxpayer funded thugs in uniform.

Two Police officers were convicted and jailed for their part in the fatal assaults viciously inflicted on George Tipene Harris that night, and the evidence of the corrupt cover up is extremely damning indeed.  The Chief Coroner also considers that there is cause for concern regarding this matter, recently writing:

Judge MacLean is an eminently sensible Judge who understands his role as a jurist and conducts it with integrity, and transparency - because when you act with integrity you have no fear of transparency.

On the other hand, here's some transparency into the Police 'investigation' - Police lied to cover up for an off duty mate who delivered a sadistic beating to George Tipene Harris - a FATAL sadistic beating - here's how your taxes are being spent covering up murder and corruption!  Dead men don't tell stories - but others do, and good on them.  The meaning of life is redemption.  It's the putting right that counts.

Here is the report of  Constable Douglas PEACH, who 'investigated' the vehicle which is alleged to have hit Mr Harris, killing him - Constable PEACH states in his formal report that the registration number of the vehicle was CHM 187:

Now, here is another report.  This one was written the following day, by Senior Constable Karl WILSON, who seems to have been 'investigating' a completely different road sweeping truck.  - This one had the registration BRM 987.

In the photograph of the street sweeping truck which is contained in the Police report, embedded below, and linked to separately in order to enable viewers to enlarge this photograph, it can be seen that the registration plate has clearly been either removed from the vehicle - there is no mention of it in the reports of anyone at the scene, so it is not credible that it fell off the vehicle at the scene of the killing - or deliberately obliterated from the photograph of the truck.

Coroner Sarn Herdson led the predictable whitewash and damage control grave-y train.  Interested parties may write to Coronial Services and request the Coroner's file to verify these allegations.  There was no mention of the discrepancy between the two registration plates or any of the other relevant and damning facts regarding this blatant cover up of a vicious homicide.

In November 2009 Police Constable Clinton HILL pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, assault, and perverting the course of justice.   Evidence was given that HILL had killed HARRIS and lied about it - and bribed other witnesses, including other Police officers - to lie about it.

It was reported on the 10th December 2009 that the jury had been unable to reach a verdict on the charges of assault, and perverting the course of justice, against Police Constable Clinton HILL, but acquitted him on another charge of manslaughter.  The family of George HARRIS was shocked at the verdict.

What the jury were undoubtably not told about was the fact that two of those other Police officers that were 'incentivised' to lie about the matter had been sentenced to jail for their part in the killing less than a year earlier.

Constables Reuben James Harris and Benson Lyle Murphy had initially protected their mate, Constable Clinton Hill, who assaulted George Tipene Harris while off-duty in the back of their police car.

Reuben Harris and Murphy pleaded guilty to conspiring to defeat the course of justice.  Another police officer, who allegedly spoke to Hill at the scene, is also charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.  We believe this is Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, who told the junior officers what to say, and told them to falsify their statements.  There is no word of what happened to Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, if anything.

The court heard that Hill had been out drinking on October 3 2004, and allegedly arrested George Harris in Manukau after he attempted to grab a phone from his pocket to call a taxi.  Hill was off duty, out drinking.

Murphy and Reuben Harris stopped in their patrol car and agreed to take Hill and Mr Harris to the station.

Reuben Harris said Murphy got out of the car and Hill asked him to drive down an alleyway and then began assaulting the victim.

George Harris escaped and Hill gave chase. Murphy and Reuben Harris later found Hill kneeling over Mr Harris's body on Great South Rd. George Tipene Harris was a second cousin of Reuben Harris, and was also related to Murphy.

Murphy said a sergeant who arrived at the scene told him and Harris what to say in their statements to investigators, which involved leaving out the alleged assault.

In March this year, a former officer told police that Murphy had told him before the 2005 inquest that his account to investigators was false.

Police reinterviewed Murphy, who had become a recruit with the Queensland police, and Reuben Harris, who had resigned from the force in December 2006, and the pair admitted making false statements.

The men agreed to testify against their former colleagues.  They have met the victim's family, who have accepted their apology.  Sadly, the whistleblowers are locked up and shut up, while a homicidal liar who encouraged so many other NZ Police Officers to also lie to cover up his sadistic killing, walks free among us.
Links will be updated in this report to evidence and information regarding this matter, in the next few days.

Transparency NZ are assisting members of Mr Harris's family to write to the Solicitor General about this matter, and take further action in the Courts to ensure accountability, and see that justice is served for George and his cousin Nick.

Here is the Police report into the death of George Tipene Harris, it is disturbing on a whole lot of levels (click the < arrow in the top left hand corner and then use the scroll bars to view, or access directly at this link).



Particularly damning is the statement of Constable Reuben Harris.  Reuben Harris states that his supervisor is Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA.  It's also just fascinating that there is no statement on this file from Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, the officer in charge of the scene.  The driver of the truck alleged to have struck George Harris had been drinking, but was assured by Police officers that the death had nothing to do with him and he was - incredibly - allowed to leave the scene of the crime - and apparently allowed by Police to drive the truck away too!



Police caught up with him hours later, and breath tested him.  He was found to have a significant amount of alcohol in his system - as did Clinton Hill.  Why was he allowed to leave the scene?

The Police have withheld the age of Constable Reuben Harris, this is ridiculous, the public have a right to know how old he is.  Apparently Constable Reuben Harris - a key witness to the assault and killing of George Tipene Harris on 3rd October - was not interviewed until THREE DAYS LATER.  His statement was taken on Wednesday the 6th October 2004, the taking of his statement began at 9:55 pm and finished at 1:15 am.

At around 4 am on the 3rd of October Constable Benson Lyle Murphy and Constable Reuben Harris were cruising around Manukau in their Police car when they just happened to come across their mate. Constable Clinton Hill, who was off duty, and drunk, and George Tipene Harris, who was related to two of these Police officers.  There's also the question of whether they just happened to come across him or whether the phone calls between off duty cop Clint Hill and his brother resulted in the victim crossing paths with his killers that morning.  Constable Reuben Harris was driving.  Clinton Hill states that he was taking George Harris to Wiri Police station.

Constable Murphy states that Hill forced George Tipene Harris into the Police car and allegedly told him and Murphy that he - Clint Hill - had "arrested" George Tipene Harris.  Problematic on a whole lot of levels - Hill was off duty, drunk, aggressive and unreasonable.  He was looking for a confrontation and with George Tipene Harris and he co-erced Murphy and Reuben Harris into going along with it.  Bullying is all good fun - until someone loses a leg, and their life.  And the whistleblowers are locked up while the killers walk free.

So, Hill forced George Tipene Harris into the car, telling his mates that it was because George had "tried to take his cellphone" and "ripped his jacket" - showing them a little bit of white fluff as "evidence" of this alleged crime.  Neither Murphy or Reuben Harris cautioned George Tipene Harris or told him he was under arrest and what for.  "Trying to take a cellphone" and "ripping a jacket" are not listed under the Summary Offences Act or the Crimes Act, and the evidence shows that the so called arrest of George Tipene Harris was unlawful, and that it was in fact kidnapping.

Constable Murphy states that he noticed that Clinton Hill was intoxicated, but that he "seemed of his wits to know what he was saying and I was not concerned about that issue at all."  Murphy had only been a Police officer for 18 months.

He states that Clinton Hill "was worried that he may be inconveniencing us."

He then states that instead of taking Clinton Hill and George Tipene Harris to the Police station, they drove up the road and conspired in the killing of George Tipene Harris.  George's friends tell how the last they saw of George was when Clinton Hill grabbed him and marched him down the road to his death.  They went to the Police station to pick him up, like Hill told them to, but George never made it to the Police station.  He died on the side of the road after a bashing by Hill and his mates, and his death was corruptly covered up.

Constable Murphy states that after Clinton Hill forced George Harris into the car they drove up the road and Murphy and Reuben Harris got out of the car, leaving Hill in the back with George Harris, who they state was drunk - and so was Hill according to Murphy and Rueben Harris, and unrestrained. Constable Benson Lyle Murphy states that Clinton Hill was shouting at George Harris. Murphy states that they were going to take George to Manurewa Police station - he never made it to Wiri OR Manurewa or any other Police station - after Police "took him for a little ride" and beat him up and chased him to his death for "bumping into" a drunken off duty cop with an attitude problem.

George Harris got out the unlocked door of the Police car, Clinton Hill tried to get out his door but the kiddie lock was on on his side - but not on George Harris's side - so Hill got out the driver's side and chased George Harris up the road to his death.

Constables Murphy and Reuben Harris gave chase in the Police car.  Constable Benson Lyle Murphy states that they then "came across" Hill and George Harris again, but Harris was already dead or dying by then.

Constable Murphy states that when they pulled up next to Hill and George Harris, Hill stated that he couldn't feel the pulse of George Tipene Harris.  Constable Murphy called an ambulance, and then noticed a street sweeping truck pull up in front of the patrol car, he states that it was not there when the patrol car pulled up.  He states that he questioned the driver of the street sweeping truck, Constable Murphy states that he asked the driver of the street sweeping truck "Did you hit him" and the driver, Mr Semisi Cocker, stated "Yes."

Constable Murphy then told Clinton Hill to move away from George Harris, proceeded to roll him into the recovery position and ascertained that he was actually breathing.  Constable Murphy tried to assess George's injuries, he could see that his leg was "mangled" in fact it was almost completely severed, if not completely severed, evidence indicates the latter, blood was coming from his ear and there was blood on his face.  His eyes were rolled back in his head.  Constable Murphy stayed there with George, talking to him, telling him that the ambulance was coming.  Constable Reuben Harris walked away and occupied himself talking to a tow truck driver who had arrived on the scene - there is no statement from the tow truck driver, or from Glen SETU - another witness, and no statement from Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA - the ringleader of the coverup apparently.

After Constable Murphy helped to put George in the ambulance - which was dispatched as a priority TWO - and as such proceeded to the scene slowly, without sirens or lights, no hurry - appallingly! - Constable Murphy then asked for a supervisor to come to the scene.  Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA then arrived and "the scene was turned over to Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA."  Evidence at the scene was treated extremely carelessly to the point of deliberate negligence.

Constable Reuben James Harris had also been a Police officer for less than two years, having graduated in November 2002.  His age has also been withheld by Police - because it is indicative of a lack of maturity and experience!  And therefore in the public interest and RELEVANT!  Constable Reuben Harris was driving the patrol car and Murphy was in the front passenger seat.

Constables Reuben Harris and Murphy, and George's friends, confirm that George Tipene Harris was not aggressive at all, and that Clint Hill was, George was apologetic and submissive, while Hill shouted at him aggressively demanding to know why he tried to "steal" his phone.  Hill was also already wound up and aggressive because of a series of phone calls from his brother.  Hill confirms that he indicated that George's friends could use his phone, there was apparently a misunderstanding, no doubt caused by both parties being significantly affected by alcohol and Clinton Hill being affected by adrenalin after the phone calls with his brother indicating danger - whether real or imagined or deliberately fabricated - and it seems that the latter was the case.

Reuben James Harris and Benson Lyle Murphy were sentenced to 15 months jail in August 2008 after pleading guilty to conspiring to defeat the course of justice after they lied to try and protect Hill.

In the High Court on 2 March 2009 Justice Pamela Andrews quashed their prison sentences, instead sentencing them to 10 months home detention, the Dominion Post reported.

Harris and Murphy had immediately appealed their initial sentences and were bailed without spending a day in to prison.

Justice Andrews did not give a reason for her decision.

Hill is due to appear in the High Court at Auckland on 2 March 2009 charged with Mr Harris's manslaughter, while a police sergeant has been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

NZ Police Constable Serena Holroyd's suicide, her family's petition:

(A picture of the writer, not Serena Holroyd)

Probationary police officer Serena Holroyd is believed to have committed suicide in March 1996 as a result of being subjected to the kind of cruel, sadistic, misogynist, bullying, incompetence and corruption as I've received from the New Zealand police since I arrived in Carterton.

Reading the information received from the Coroner's Office, and the other information that can be found by those who care to look, is harrowing, and profoundly moving.  It tells the story of a Constable who tried to do her job to the best of her (obviously considerable) ability, with a particular interest in helping the victims of domestic violence, who was bullied, lied to, harassed, mocked and abused for not joining in the obligatory "jug sessions" in the police bar after work, and then let down by a senior officer who failed to support her as he'd promised and corrupt and incompetent colleagues in the Counties Manakau police district.

Here is her parents petition to parliament, and parliament's insulting response.  To optimise viewing, click  the < symbol in the top left hand corner, then use the scroll bars, or view the petition and related documents at this link:

It is disgraceful, and an insult to democracy, that Parliament have redesigned their website so that petitions are almost impossible to locate now, and all that can be found by researchers is the insulting dismissal at this link.  Once at that link readers can click on the link in the right hand sidebar titled "As reported by the Law and order Committee" but that will only lead to the response, not the actual petition.  Because of that we have reproduced the petition here on this site.

"Petition/submission 2008/118, to the law and order committee
Serena Holroyd

In 1993, my daughter Serena Holroyd joined the Police as a mature successful woman. 

In March 1996, after three years in the Police, she took her own life.
My family and I believe that the police were directly responsible for her death, and we have evidence to support this claim.  

Summary of actions my family and I have taken, and the result of these actions:
Shortly after Serena's death, my husband and I wrote to the Police, outlining 13 points of concern. (EncI, item 1) 

The Police responded to this letter by conducting an internal inquiry by two non−sworn staff members, Jenny Prentice and Alison Gracey. 

This inquiry was very critical of Police management and practice. We understood that Police management accepted the findings. 

A second inquiry was conducted by the Police, this time by two sworn members, Detective Superintendent P Marshall and Senior Sergeant G Gibson. 

My family and I were not informed that this inquiry was to take place. 

The Police arrived at our home, and asked for personal details about my daughter, which we innocently handed over.   

We believed the two Police officers were engaged in an objective inquiry. 

It was only much later that we discovered that the Police officers were intent on destroying the first inquiry's credibility, and digging up any possible unfavourable issues associated with Serena, ( They even investigated her father) I am angry that Serena, her father and myself have been treated with such little respect by the Police. To say the last inquiry was bankrupt is an understatement. 

My family and I have evidence that the Police went to extraordinary lengths to destroy my daughter's career, including the setting of objectives that no other Police officer has had to do in police history. 

When my family and I tried to lay a complaint with the Police Complaints Commissioner, we were unsuccessful because they do not look at employment issues. We discovered that junior Police officers and their families have no independent path of complaint. They are the only government employees without this. 

The Police Act and the States Services Act require the Police to be good employers at all times. In Serena's case, they have failed badly. 

My family and spent a great deal of time making a submission to the Bazley inquiry into Police conduct. She refused to look at 95% of our evidence. We were very disappointed with the results of the inquiry, because no−one was held to account in our case.. The law was not changed. Junior Police officers still have very little protection. 

After a long delay, we finally got hold of the 1000+ pages of internal Police documents. These documents revealed many interesting issues, for example, the dispute that a Mr B Hartley, District Commander, Counties−Manukau. He was angry about the findings of the Prentice−Gracey report. Mr Hartley was Serena's employer, and a very bad employer, in our opinion. He believed that the Police had not, by conducting this inquiry been a good employer. We have evidence that District Commander Hartley obtained confidential details contained in the Prentice−Gracey report, and set out to destroy its credibility. 

• At our expense, my family and I employed a Barrister to review the evidence and write a report. (Encl. Item 3)  We have gone to the Ombudsman, the State Services Commission, and the Human Rights Commission, all without any success. They are unable or unwilling to help us. 

• Since 2003, the Police have refused to answer any of our letters. (Encl. Item 4) 

All our letters have been met by massive delays by the police. It has taken 15 years, and we have still not resolved this issue. Delay and Obstruction Appears to be standard Police procedure. Many Officers who engaged in this Practice have risen to Senior Positions in the Police. 

Summary:
As stated at the beginning of this letter, my family and I want an independent inquiry into the events surrounding my daughter's death. No one has been held accountable for the appalling treatment my Serena received as a Police Officer, or their treatment of my family since her death.
Enclosed:
1.
Orig
2.
Prer
3.
Our
4.
Polii
Original letter of Complaint. 27 March 1996
Prentice ,Gracey Report. 29 August 1996
Our Barristers review of the case. Grant Millar. 13 June 2002
Police refusal to reply letter. 16 December 2003. W Annan
C M Holroyd

C/47−6 Newhaven st,
Ellerslie,
Auckland 5.
27.3.96.
z
The Hon J Luxton MP.
Minister of Police.
clo Parliament House,
Wellington.

Dear Mr Luxton,

We are writing to you regarding the recent death by suicide of our daughter Serena Holroyd, probationary police officer number F 489.

We believe her death was directly attributed to the very poor treatment she received during her employment with the N.Z. Police.

It is the duty of every employer to look after their employees, and the police seem to have totally failed in this respect.

We have specific concerns focusing upon the following issues:

1.Continued refusal to grant Serena her permanent appointment despite her completing and exceeding all her work and examination requirements.

2. The lack of a stable work environment, 4 police stations and 20 different sergeants in a period of 28 months.

3.A near total lack of administrative support to enable ajunior police officer to come to terms with the job requirements.

4.Relentless overwork, always having to complete paper work in her own time.

5.Discriminatory refusal to be granted examination leave.

6.Expected to take on a large work load and to train others while still a probationary officer.

7.Repeated absence of a duty sergeant for back−up while on front line duty.

8. Acute on−going under staffing at the Mangere Station.

9. Working on her own at night attending violent domestic disputes and walking the beat in central Auckland.

10. An unresolved sexual harassment incident.

11.Little or no training in the skills needed to be a shift worker,

12. Serena was given a hard time for refusing to take part in "JUG" sessions after work and drive home drunk.

13 .Just how impartial are performance appraisals? It would seem personal prejudices influence assessments.  Information has been given to us from several sources and it is our considered view
that a full ministerial investigation be implemented, with some degree of urgency into this very serious matter. While nothing can be done to bring our precious daughter back, changes must be made to help prevent other young police officers from being placed in such an
untenable situation.

yours faithfully

D.M.Holroyd. C.M.Holroyd.
______________________

Here's the submissions of the NZ Police and the insulting response from parliament:

"The Law and Order Committee has considered Petition 2008/118 of Coral Holroyd, that

the House of Representatives conduct an inquiry into the treatment of Police Officer
Serena Holroyd and the Police’s conduct after her death. 

We sought and received submissions from the petitioner, the New Zealand Police, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority. We have considered the material provided to us by the petitioner with much sympathy, and we appreciate the distress that resulted from Ms Holroyd’s untimely death in 1996. However, we note that there have been several inquiries into Ms Holroyd’s death, and our consideration of the petition and other related material has not revealed sufficient grounds or new avenues for re-opening the case to examination. 

The committee has no matters to bring to the attention of the House. We recommend that the House take note of our report."  

What a damning indictment of our corrupt, rotten, taxpayer funded Police force.


What an utter, utter insult to the family and friends of  Serena Holroyd.

What an insult to Jenny Prentice and Alison Gracey, the investigators who had the courage to speak up and tell the truth for Serena Holroyd and her family.


What an irony that when a young woman complained to the Police that a foreign diplomat assaulted her, she is attacked so savagely by a howling, witch hunting mob.  They all seem to miss the point, she has not to my knowledge said one single word about the incident which is the subject of her Police complaint.  Toby Manhire got it right, except that the bloke with the big tie from Winston First he was referring to, Curwen Ares Rollison is not to be trusted one little bit - talk is all he's good at, like slithery old Ron Mark. 

I feel deeply for the family and friends of Serena Holroyd, and for Serena herself.  Silent now, but not forgotten.  I hope by writing about what happened to Serena here it will help her rest more peacefully, and comfort her family, knowing that the truth hasn't gone unnoticed.  Further information can be obtained regarding the death of Serena Holroyd, by writing to Coronial Services at Coronial.Information@justice.govt.nz and requesting it. 

Why has this matter not been reported in any New Zealand 'news' media - and why has this family  - like so many other people - been silenced with this 'slap in the face and shut up' response from our government?!

We pay taxes to enable our government to govern our communities and our country effectively, that money is being ripped off by incompetent and corrupt individuals every day and the more they get away with it the more the problem grows like a poisonous cancer, infecting more and more new recruits as it's allowed to fester unhindered.

This is the price of ignoring and enabling Police corruption, and ignoring it IS enabling it.  The proverbial thirty pieces of silver, and people like Peter Marshall and Senior Sergeant G Gibson who thirst for the baubles of office and are so easily corrupted - the National Business Review found that there is an "alarming amount of bribery in New Zealand."  Nearly three-quarters of New Zealanders (73%) felt corruption had increased in this country in the last three years and political parties were rated the most corrupt group, followed by Parliament and the private sector, and that article was published four years ago.  Transparency International claims to report the perception of corruption, Transparency NZ actually does something about corruption, something worthwhile and constructive.

A lot of petitions circulate on the internet, most of them are never even presented to anyone.  Of the ones that are presented in New Zealand, many of them are rejected for lack of form or compliance with parliament's standing orders.  This can be avoided by reading the relevant rules, which can be found at this link.  Once at the link, readers need to then click on the links in the right hand sidebar to access the .pdf document in Chapter 27.  Petitioners need to find a sitting MP prepared to present the petition to parliament too.