Attribute to police spokesperson:
New Zealand Police absolutely rejects assertions that police waited for the death of former Detective Inspector Bruce Hutton in relation to the Crewe review. This has no basis in truth.
The matters raised by Mr Des Thomas in his complaint of October 2012 are being considered by the review team led by Detective Superintendent Andy Lovelock.
This is the appropriate forum given the review is a comprehensive process specifically tasked with evaluating 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.
As police has previously stated the 3 year timeframe for the review reflects the thousands of hours of staff time involved, the 90,000 pages of documentation considered and interviews with individuals who may have relevant information about an event which took place nearly 44 years ago.
Every aspect of the review has itself been subject to independent assessment by Mr David Jones QC and this will continue.
The review is being finalised at the moment and it is intended that its findings will be made public in the first half of this year.
Naturally police will assist the IPCA with any aspect of its investigation into the complaint laid by Mr Thomas.
END
Media please note there will be no interviews in relation to this statement.