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RNZ News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Police seized work and personal phones of press secretary Michael Forbes while investigating complaints
Photo: LinkedIn/Michael Forbes Police say any new information regarding the Prime Minister's former deputy chief press secretary will be "thoroughly considered". Stuff reports that Michael Forbes, a former journalist, allegedly recorded audio of multiple sessions with Wellington sex workers, and amassed a gallery of women working out at the gym, shopping, and being filmed through a window getting ready to go out. Wellington District Manager Criminal Investigations Detective Inspector John Van Den Heuvel said in a statement to RNZ on Thursday evening that police received a report from the manager of a Wellington brothel on July 12 2024 , relating to audio recordings of sex workers. Police obtained a search warrant on July 13 to seize two phones for examination - one personal and one work device. "On examining the phones, Police also found a number of photos and video of women in public spaces, and what appears to be women in private addresses, taken from a distance away. "Police considered the available evidence and concluded it did not meet the requirements for criminality, and therefore charges could not be filed. "The individual concerned voluntarily spoke with Police and admitted to taking the images and recordings. He was reminded of the inappropriateness of his behaviour and encouraged to seek help." Forbes also deleted the images in the presence of Police. "Police acknowledge this man's behaviour was extremely distressing for the women involved and would like to reassure them that any new information will be thoroughly considered. "Based on the initial report and available evidence to date, Police are unable to progress the matter further." One of the sex workers who was allegedly recorded, Zara (not her real name) and another sex worker Fern (not her real name) released a joint statement to RNZ on Thursday. "The law urgently needs to catch up with the digital age. Covertly recording intimate encounters without consent is a form of sexual violence, yet current legislation fails to adequately protect victims - especially sex workers and those who identify as women. "We should be safe in public without images being captured of our bodies unbeknownst to us. Power imbalances across the board leave the potential for us to exploited, unheard, and unprotected. It's time for real legal reform that centres consent, safety, and accountability had allegedly recorded audio of a session with a sex worker." It comes after the madam of the brothel where Forbes allegedly recorded audio of a sex worker, told RNZ she wants something to be done about privacy laws when it comes to recording people without their knowledge. "This is an issue for all women, women are being recorded, photographed, filmed without their consent or knowledge and heaven only knows where it's ending up. This is the main issue and that's what needs to be focused on." Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's deputy chief press secretary Michael Forbes (left) during a trip to India. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi The Deparment of Internal Affairs said all Ministerial Services staff are subject to standard pre-employment checks when they are first employed. These checks include reference checks, serious misconduct checks and a criminal conviciton check. In addition, security clearances are required for some positions in Minister's offices. The department says these checks were completed when Michael Forbes was first employed by Ministerial Services and were not required for the later temporary assignment to the Prime Minister's office. "We acknowledge staff may be unsettled or feel their safety may have been compromised. We are committed to supporting our people and ensuring they feel, and are, safe at work." Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the incidents, that were investigated by police but didn't lead to any charges, occurred after he was vetted to work for Social Development Minister Louise Upston. "He has an obligation to actually declare those issues or those incidents to us, that didn't happen which is why his employment would have been terminated obviously. "But there is a good question about making sure, and I have asked specifically for DIA (The Department of Internal Affairs) to look at vetting processes," Luxon said in a media conference at Parliament on Thursday morning. He added that the expectation was on Forbes to have raised the incidents with the Prime Minister's office "because it impacts the office and the reputation of the office, for obvious reasons, but that didn't happen". Luxon said DIA had kicked off a "deep dive into seeing what further actions are needed to actually strengthen our processes." Forbes moved from Upston's office to the Prime Minister's in February this year and "had the vetting that he needed to come into the Beehive". "We will look at that to make sure that there's anything else we could have done differently in that vetting." The Prime Minister wouldn't discuss what level of security clearance Forbes had in the Beehive. Luxon also had questions about whether the investigation should have been elevated by police to the Beehive. 'We have to take this incident and understand what has happened here and how it happened, and what more can we do about it. "I think it's a legitimate question to say what can we look at between the inter-agency processes, between the different agencies, whether it's police, whether it's the SIS or whether it's ministerial services." The Prime Minister was open to looking at privacy laws after a call for a law change by the madam of the brothel at the centre of the accusations against Forbes. "I'm open to looking at our settings, again as we go through this experience, we have a series of laws whether it's the harmful digital bill, whether it's the privacy laws, or now new stalking laws, but we're open to looking at that further as well." "I think many Kiwis will be incredibly concerned with this issue, as I am too." Luxon said he spoke to a number of women on Wednesday who work closely with Forbes and he said "understandably there's anger, it's distressing". Prime Minister Christopher Luxon takes questions at the Beehive after the resignation of press secretary Michael Forbes. Photo: Luxon said he understood it was a private phone, not a government issued one, that was used to capture the recordings and photos. Police commissioner Richard Chambers said he was first made aware of the issue late on Tuesday afternoon after a media inquiry. "I immediately contacted the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and subsequently informed the Police Minister under the no-surprises practise." It was raised with the police executive in July 2024, during the investigation into the complaint. It was not brought to the attention of Ministers or Ministerial Services at the time. "It is up to the commissioner of the day (Andrew Coster) to decide what to elevate by way of the no surprises convention. "Those decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. It would be wrong for me to comment on decisions made by the then-executive because I do not know the information they were based on, or the reasons for those decisions. "In situations such as this, it should also be considered whether there is an obligation on an individual to raise any issues that might be relevant to their employment with their employer or prospective employer," he said. "Decisions around the handling of the investigation and questions about whether it should be re-visited are for Wellington District police to consider. I have absolute faith in them to do that." In a press conference, Chambers also said there would be different circumstances or reasons as to why a matter may or may not be elevated. "It is not the failure of my organisation at all. I think there are a number of responsibilities here on individuals to alert matters which they should understand could be problematic, in terms of prospective employment." Chamber's predecessor as Commissioner, Andrew Coster, said he had only learned of the investigation into Forbes through media reports. "I learned of this situation through the media in the last 24 hours. As I no longer have access to information about Police's processes I am unable to comment further," Coster said. That statement was put to Chambers, who said executive members know their responsibilities. "It is important that police executive members alert their Commissioner to matters that may need consideration." The madam of the Wellington brothel, which RNZ has agreed to not name, said she was at the brothel when a sex worker came out of a room and alleged Forbes was recording audio and showed her his phone. The madam went into the room while Forbes was in the shower and confronted him. "I said you were recording, have you done this before and he said 'uhuh'. I said you need to give me your pin number. "I went through his phone and I instantly found recordings that were named." She said she told Forbes she needed to keep his phone and he left. She then gave the phone to police. The madam alleged Forbes had "many recordings on his phone of sex workers". She knew of some of the women who had been recorded. "Those who needed to know found out they had been recorded," she says. The women were shocked, she said. It had been a "balancing act" for the women involved. "It's really tricky for sex workers to do things, sometimes because shit can come down on them. In a boys club like the one Michael Forbes is in who knows what the fallout could be. We are decriminalised, it's a legal business, there's a lot of discrimination against us, insurance companies banks and that." The women who had seen Forbes said he appeared "relatively respectful," the madam said. Forbes has offered an apology for the harm his actions caused to women. "I want to offer my sincerest apologies to the women I have harmed," he said in a statement. "In the past, I was in a downward spiral due to unresolved trauma and stress, and when confronted with the impacts of my behaviour a year ago, I sought professional help, which is something I wish I had done much earlier. "What I failed to do then was make a genuine attempt to apologise. Instead, I tried to move on without offering those I had harmed the acknowledgement, accountability, or amends they deserved. I recognise how wrong that was." Forbes said he spent the past year "reflecting on how I may have affected these women's sense of safety and ability to go about their lives and work". "No one should ever feel violated, unsafe, or disrespected, especially in spaces where they should feel secure, and I am truly sorry for contributing to an environment where women may have felt otherwise," he said. "The therapy I've received over the past year has helped me to understand the roots of my behaviour and begin addressing the patterns that led to it. This is a long-term commitment to change that I take very seriously. "I understand that my past actions may have undermined the trust people place in me. So, I have resigned from my job to focus on the work I need to do." RNZ asked Forbes on Wednesday evening if there was anything in the reporting he disputed or disagreed with. He replied "not really". But believed it was likely some of the photos were consensual ones of his partner. Asked for comment on Thursday morning about the comments from the madam of the brothel. He declined to comment further. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Early morning shooting leaves one injured in Southwest San Angelo, Police investigate
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — San Angelo police are investigating a shooting that left one person injured early Saturday morning in the 4400 block of Bermuda Drive. At approximately 4:55 a.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting and arrived to find an individual suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was quickly transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, though authorities have not yet released details on the extent of their injuries. San Angelo man indicted on 6 child sex crime charges The incident is being investigated by the San Angelo Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division. Authorities have stated that there is no known ongoing threat to the community, and preliminary findings suggest the shooting was an isolated event. Game wardens urge safety as boating season begins Authorities indicated that more information will be released to the public as it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Leesburg police seek identities of men in malicious wounding case
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — The Leesburg Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying two men involved in a malicious wounding that occurred on May 18. Officers responded at 2:18 a.m. after receiving reports of a large fight in a parking lot in the 500 block of E. Market Street. DC man sentenced for involvement in shooting death of 13-year-old There, a man was found unconscious on the ground, suffering from significant head and face injuries. Police have released photos of the two persons of interest in the case: Anyone who may recognize either of these individuals or has any information is asked to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 703-771-4500 or submit a tip anonymously at (703) 443-TIPS (8477) or email policeinvestigations@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man shot, killed inside doorway of Lorain home Saturday morning
*Attached video: Cleveland crime by the numbers LORAIN, Ohio (WJW) – A man was shot and killed inside the doorway of a Lorain home early Saturday morning. According to a press release from the Lorain Police Department, Officers responded to a shooting at a home on Homewood Drive, just before 5 a.m. New York Fire Department responding to injuries after ship collides with Brooklyn Bridge At the scene, the officer found 48-year-old Clayton Parker lying unresponsive just inside the front door of the home. According to the release, Parker had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary investigations found that Parker may have been attempting to break into the home. Once he entered, at least one person inside the home allegedly shot him with a 'legally owned firearm,' the release said. The Lorain Police Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Lorain County Coroner's Office are now investigating the shooting. Wayne Dawson shares update on cancer journey At this time, no arrests or criminal charges have been made. Multiple firearms were taken as evidence, the release said. The Lorain Police Criminal Investigations Bureau asks that anyone with information about this shooting call (440) 204-2105. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Arrest made Friday in Oakland armed robbery
(KRON) — The Oakland Police Department is urging for the public's help for information in an armed robbery case despite announcing an arrest on Friday. Car slams into 2 San Jose houses, driver flees scene OPD said its officers spotted an occupied vehicle in the 200 block of Hegenberger Loop, just before 1:15 p.m., that was tied to the crime that occurred Thursday in the 3700 block of Green Acre Road. Police said the victim was assaulted during that incident, and their belongings were taken by the suspect who drove away from the scene. 'Officers were able to safely detain the individual pending further investigation,' said Oakland police in a news release. This is an active case. Anyone with leads is asked to contact the OPD Criminal Investigations Division at (510) 238-3326. Videos or photos that could assist with the investigation can be sent to cidvideos@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
