Crewe Review - Final Report

In 2010, after concerns were raised by Rochelle Crewe regarding the homicides of her parents, then Police Commissioner Howard Broad appointed a small team of experienced senior investigators and analysts to undertake a review of the 1970 homicides of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

The review was completed in accordance with the following 'Terms of Reference':

• You will gather all available source material relating to the 1970 Crewe Homicide investigation; the 1970 committal hearing of Arthur Allan Thomas; the 1971 High [Supreme] Court Trial; the 1972 Court of Appeal Hearing; the 1973 High [Supreme] Court Trial; the 1980 Royal Commission Hearing.
• Additional material will include (1) documents and correspondence relating to any reexamination of the forensic evidence; and (2) consideration of any new information that has been investigated by Police. You will have the source material copied into an electronic format …. and house the original documents / related material in a secure area.
• You will prepare a Review / Assessment Plan which will be maintained as a record of decisions made and will also provide sufficient detail to demonstrate that all reasonable assessment and analytical opportunities have been identified, considered and evaluated.
• You will identify what, if any, avenues of enquiry can be explored as a result of (1) this assessment, or (2) any new information passed to Police, which are to be prioritised and warrant further enquiries to be undertaken and action.
• You will continue to assess and re‐assess risk, particularly in relation to any new information that is presented to Police.
• you will evaluate any new evidence that indicates actual, or potential, criminal liability on the part of any person/s that is disclosed within the source material reviewed; and in regard to any new information that comes to light, your assessment will focus on:
  • Crimes Act 1961, Section 167, and associated offences
  • Legislative provisions under Part 6, Crimes Act 1961
  • Crimes affecting the administration of law and justice

This review has now been completed. What follows is the product of almost four years of work, which has included:

• A review of existing evidence and other material from Court and Police files, archives and publications
• Approaching and interviewing witnesses who had already made statements and / or given evidence, as well as additional potential witnesses
• Identifying and pursuing (where possible) any further lines of enquiry
• Obtaining further expert opinion and analysis in relation to forensic and specialist topics

The Review Team has attempted to give all persons who have any interest in the Crewe case an opportunity to have input. Individuals have been contacted directly in certain cases, as well as public notices being given in the media for persons to contact the Review Team with any information. One of the goals was to conduct as thorough an investigation as possible in the hope of ensuring that all reasonable avenues of enquiry were explored.