Letter reveals ex-Police Commissioner's concerns over investigation into McSkimming

Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster told the chair of the police watchdog that a woman who was accusing Jevon McSkimming of sexual offending had "effectively acknowledged her desire to ruin his career".

In the letter, obtained by RNZ, Coster said the disgraced former Deputy Police Commissioner was "highly remorseful" for having an affair and had "owned it publicly" in his church community.

The letter was first revealed in a scathing report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) into how police handled allegations of sexual offending by McSkimming relating to a woman he had an affair with.

The IPCA's report said the letter was sent by Coster to the chair of the IPCA, Judge Kenneth Johnston KC, on 22 October 2024, just over a week after the IPCA informed police they were doing an independent investigation into the woman's allegations.

RNZ has obtained a copy of the letter under the Official Information Act.

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

The letter begins with Coster saying he was writing to "formally express my concerns" about the chain of events leading up to the launching of an independent investigation by the IPCA into McSkimming and "its potential impact" on McSkimming's career.

"My primary concern relates to the Authority's decision to commence an investigation at such a critical point in the Commissioner appointment process, given all of the circumstances of this case."

Coster then listed 13 "key facts as I understand them".

The first was that McSkimming had an affair with the woman, referred to as Ms Z in the IPCA's report, "many years ago".

"He is highly remorseful of this fact and has worked through it not only with his wife but within his (large) church community, where has owned it publicly."

Coster also said McSkimming had declared the relationship through "multiple appointment processes".

The former police commissioner said that following the end of the relationship Ms Z was "clearly impacted".

"She has embarked on a persistent course of communications directed at Jevon, aimed at discrediting him. These communications have been sent far and wide over an extended period of time (to Police email addresses, politicians, media and the Authority)."

He said Ms Z had never put her name to the communications, adding that the allegations had "never been supported with information beyond the bare allegation itself".

"The only way that Police or the Authority knows (Ms Z's) identity is because Deputy Commissioner declared it to Police as part of expressing his concern about the course of conduct aimed at him."

Coster also alleged that Ms Z had in communication with McSkimming "effectively acknowledged her desire to ruin his career".

McSkimming brought a complaint of criminal harassment after exploring a "wide range of options to stop the behaviour directed at him and his family".

Police initially tried to provide support to Ms Z through the joint Police / Health multidisciplinary Fixated Threat Assessment Unit (FTAC) using a "mental health-led approach".

"Only when a supportive intervention failed to shift the behaviour, did Police take the step of prosecution for criminal harassment. This was not a path we embarked on lightly, given the circumstances.

"It is clearly the Police view that Jevon is the victim of the offence and that there is evidential sufficiency to prove the charge."

Coster said that through the same period police had tasked Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves to review all of the correspondence received and then approach Ms Z to see whether any complaint would be forthcoming.

"Despite this extended history and opportunity for the Authority to set expectations of any Police investigation or commence its own investigation in this matter, it was only after receiving a request from the Public Service Commission for the interim Commissioner appointment process that the Authority decided to initiate a Category A investigation."

In the letter, Coster said he understood the IPCA considered Police did not share all of the relevant information that it should have about some anonymous allegations made to Police 105.

However, he said the communications were "not materially different" to allegations that had been known to the IPCA for some time, and that they were made anonymously and without any information to "properly support an investigation".

"They were made as part of a course of conduct by [Ms Z] that amounts to criminal harassment, of which Jevon is the victim."

Coster said as a result of the investigation "belatedly commencing", McSkimming had missed out on the opportunity to be interim Commissioner.

"Which otherwise he would have been. This will make a material difference to him in the substantive appointment process."

The Public Service Commission (PSC) had advised McSkimming that the IPCA had indicated the investigation would take three to six months to be resolved.

"If that is the case, his name will not go forward for consideration for appointment to be the next Commissioner," Coster said.

"All of this is occurring whilst Jevon has not been advised of the nature of the investigation against him in terms of any substantive complaint or the allegations that are being investigated. This is seems contrary to principles of natural justice. [sic]"

Coster wrote he was concerned the IPCA may "inadvertently significantly increase Jevon's victimisation" from the "pattern of harassment" which could be "irreversible in terms of his career".

"This is against the backdrop of an issue that has been visible for a very long time and was capable of being resolved long ago - indeed Jevon considered that it had been.

"I do understand the difficult position for the Authority in the circumstances. However, it is unfair for Jevon to suffer the consequences of this. A standard investigative approach and timeline in this situation risks a very unjust outcome."

He said the matter needed to be resolved before the substantive appointment process reached its point of making recommendations to Ministers.

"I respect that the Authority must exercise its own judgement but I trust this background may assist. I would be happy to discuss further."

About 20 minutes after sending the letter he forwarded a copy of it to McSkimming.

The IPCA said in its report it was "abundantly clear" the version of "facts" that Coster set out were based on what McSkimming told him.

RNZ approached a spokesperson for Coster this week for comment on the letter. They said Coster has "said all that he intends to on this matter" and referred to his earlier statements.

After resigning from his role as chief executive of the Social Investment Agency, Coster released a statement and said his resignation was "a result of my acceptance of full responsibility for the shortcomings" identified in the report.

"I regret the impact on the young woman at the centre of this matter and sincerely apologise to her for the distress caused.

"I accept that I was too ready to trust and accept at face value Deputy Commissioner McSkimming's disclosure and explanations to me. I should have been faster and more thorough in looking into the matter."

Coster acknowledged he should have more fully investigated the allegations when they were brought to his attention, "rather than assuming that their previous disclosure to senior Police staff a few years earlier would have resulted in an investigation if necessary".

"It is clear that Police's handling of the whole matter was lacking and that I was ultimately responsible for those matters. It was sobering to read of a number of missed opportunities which should have proceeded differently and more appropriately."

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