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NZ Herald
28-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Jevon McSkimming resignation: Jill Rogers and Mike Pannett are considered the frontrunners to be appointed as the next deputy police commissioner
The original investigation which led to his suspension just before Christmas is ongoing, although McSkimming expected to be cleared of any wrongdoing and to 'resume his duties' according to a statement issued by his lawyers in January. But as part of that criminal investigation, detectives allegedly found pornographic material on his work computer and that led to a second inquiry. Some of that pornographic material is being investigated as potentially 'objectionable' under the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act. After being confronted by the alleged existence of the material, McSkimming resigned as Deputy Commissioner just a few weeks ago; although Mitchell was explicit that the 51-year-old jumped before he was pushed. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, McSkimming - who was a final candidate for the top job of Police Commissioner just six months ago - could face criminal charges in court. Lurking in the background is a wider inquiry that could be even more damaging to trust and confidence in the police. The Independent Police Conduct Authority [IPCA] is also investigating whether there has been 'misconduct or neglect of duty by any other police officer or employee in the course of responding to the allegations' against McSkimming. Some of the most senior police officers in the country are expected to be interviewed as part of that investigation. Nothing should be assumed until all the facts are known, but the New Zealand Police and the Government are bracing for a potential PR nightmare in the coming months. With that in mind, it makes sense to wait for the dust to settle before settling on McSkimming's potential replacement as Deputy Commissioner. Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. Photo / Mark Mitchell There are two obvious candidates: Mike Pannett and Jill Rogers. Both have been seen flanking new Police Commissioner Richard Chambers around Wellington this year, and each have acted in the deputy role on a temporary basis during McSkimming's absence. Pannett has held the rank of Assistant Commissioner since 2016 when he was in charge of the national security programme. During that time, he also had a three-year secondment with the Australian Federal Police to oversee branch offices across 33 countries, with a focus on transnational organised crime. Earlier in his career, Pannett was based in Washington DC as the liaison officer to the United States, Canada and South America before returning to be the Southern District Commander based in Dunedin. Jill Rogers' career has been closer to home, but no less impressive. She joined the police in 1993 and qualified as a detective to spend 17 years investigating serious crimes in Auckland. Rogers moved back into uniform as the area commander of Auckland Central for three years, then the district commander for Counties Manukau from 2017 to 2023. She was then promoted to Assistant Commissioner and put in charge of the Police College, as well as training and development across the entire organisation. Rogers is currently listed on the police website as the 'relieving' Deputy Commissioner and considered to be the frontrunner to permanently fill the vacancy left by McSkimming's sudden departure. There is one other clue that points to her favouritism for the job. In his first interview with the Herald after becoming the Police Commissioner in November, Richard Chambers told an anecdote about why he joined the police. It had always appealed as an exciting career, but in weighing up his options, Chambers had arranged a 'ride-along' in a police car. He was paired on the shift with a young constable called Jill Rogers. 'I saw the way Jill interacted with people from all sorts of backgrounds. She was really inspiring to me, and was a big influence on my decision to join the police,' said Chambers. 'We're really lucky to have her.' Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said Jill Rogers helped inspire him to join the police in the mid 1990s. Photo / Mark Mitchell That's about as good as a CV reference gets in the world of policing. In the meantime, Tania Kura is the only statutory Deputy Commissioner currently left in the police. She and McSkimming were appointed at the same time and her five-year term does not expire until 2028. The statutory role is important within the constitution framework of the police and carries a safeguard of independence from the Police Commissioner. If Chambers was to be incapacitated, for example, Kura would assume office until a new commissioner was appointed. Jared Savage covers crime and justice issues, with a particular interest in organised crime. He joined the Herald in 2006 and has won a dozen journalism awards in that time, including twice being named Reporter of the Year. He is also the author of Gangland, Gangster's Paradise and Underworld.
1News
21-05-2025
- 1News
Man jailed for role on website showing computer-generated child abuse
A man who was a facilitator on a website which hosted "unspeakable" computer-generated child sexual abuse images has been jailed. Warning: Some may find details in this story upsetting. Helplines are provided with the article. Donald James Sarratt, 35, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment after being found guilty of possessing objectionable material relating to children and knowingly making and/or copying objectionable material relating to the sexual exploitation of children. A forensic examination of his electronic devices also uncovered child sexual abuse images of real children. He was identified in the wake of Operation Dark Orchid, which began in 2022 following a referral from the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Department of Justice Child Exploitation Unit in the US. The website hosted over 85,000 computer generated images - 30,000 of those being realistic images depicting the graphic sexual abuse and torture of children as young as infants. 'In New Zealand, creating, possessing, or distributing material that promotes or tends to promote or support the sexual exploitation of children is punishable under the Films, Videos, Publications and Classifications Act," Detective Sergeant Daniel Wright, who led Operation Dark Orchid for the New Zealand Police Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (OCEANZ) team, said. 'This investigation, involving our law enforcement colleagues from the US, demonstrates our commitment to keeping our communities safe, and that we will use all resources available to us to hold to account those who prey on the vulnerability of children both in New Zealand and abroad." Homeland Security Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard said the "vast number" of images uncovered in the joint investigation was "unacceptable in any part of contemporary society". Many featured "disturbingly realistic computer-generated representations of unspeakable child sexual abuse". "This sentence for the defendant reinforces our dedication to protecting the innocence of our most vulnerable populations from such abhorrent child exploitation," he said. Any child sexual abuse material discovered online can be reported to: New Zealand Police: Call 105 or report online here Department of Internal Affairs Netsafe : Netsafe New Zealand's online safety organisation If there are immediate concerns for the safety of someone, call 111.
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Scoop
Police Acknowledge Sentencing Of Donald Sarratt In Child Sexual Abuse Material Case
Press Release – New Zealand Police The operation, dubbed Operation Dark Orchid, commenced in 2022 following a referral from the United States of America, Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Department of Justice Child Exploitation Unit. Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to Donald James Sarratt in the Wellington District Court today, for his role as a facilitator of a website which hosted computer-generated child sexual abuse material. Sarratt, 35, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment after being found guilty of possessing objectionable material relating to children and knowingly making and/or copying objectionable material relating to the sexual exploitation of children. A forensic examination of Sarratt's electronic devices also identified child sexual abuse material images of real children. The operation, dubbed Operation Dark Orchid, commenced in 2022 following a referral from the United States of America, Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Department of Justice Child Exploitation Unit. The investigation centred on a website with over 85,000 computer generated images – 30,000 of those being realistic images depicting the graphic sexual abuse and torture of children as young as infants. Teams of dedicated investigators worked tirelessly to identify those responsible for this offending, resulting in the dismantling of a long-standing website whose users who sought sexual gratification from the abuse of children. Detective Sergeant Daniel Wright led Operation Dark Orchid for the New Zealand Police Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (OCEANZ) team. He says Sarratt's sentencing is a testament to the thorough investigation conducted by New Zealand Police and US law enforcement. 'In New Zealand, creating, possessing, or distributing material that promotes or tends to promote or support the sexual exploitation of children is punishable under the Films, Videos, Publications and Classifications Act. 'This investigation, involving our law enforcement colleagues from the US, demonstrates our commitment to keeping our communities safe, and that we will use all resources available to us to hold to account those who prey on the vulnerability of children both in New Zealand and abroad,' Detective Sergeant Wright says. HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard says: 'HSI works seamlessly with our law enforcement partners across the globe to stop those who produce and distribute child sexual abuse materials. 'The vast number of images uncovered in this joint investigation – many featuring disturbingly realistic computer-generated representations of unspeakable child sexual abuse – is unacceptable in any part of contemporary society. 'This sentence for the defendant reinforces our dedication to protecting the innocence of our most vulnerable populations from such abhorrent child exploitation,' he says. If you, or someone you know, comes across child sexual abuse material online, we urge you to report it: New Zealand Police: Call 105 or report online here 105 Police Non-Emergency Online Reporting | New Zealand Police [1]. If you have immediate concerns for the safety of someone, please call 111.
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Scoop
Police Acknowledge Sentencing Of Donald Sarratt In Child Sexual Abuse Material Case
Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to Donald James Sarratt in the Wellington District Court today, for his role as a facilitator of a website which hosted computer-generated child sexual abuse material. Sarratt, 35, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment after being found guilty of possessing objectionable material relating to children and knowingly making and/or copying objectionable material relating to the sexual exploitation of children. A forensic examination of Sarratt's electronic devices also identified child sexual abuse material images of real children. The operation, dubbed Operation Dark Orchid, commenced in 2022 following a referral from the United States of America, Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Department of Justice Child Exploitation Unit. The investigation centred on a website with over 85,000 computer generated images - 30,000 of those being realistic images depicting the graphic sexual abuse and torture of children as young as infants. Teams of dedicated investigators worked tirelessly to identify those responsible for this offending, resulting in the dismantling of a long-standing website whose users who sought sexual gratification from the abuse of children. Detective Sergeant Daniel Wright led Operation Dark Orchid for the New Zealand Police Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (OCEANZ) team. He says Sarratt's sentencing is a testament to the thorough investigation conducted by New Zealand Police and US law enforcement. 'In New Zealand, creating, possessing, or distributing material that promotes or tends to promote or support the sexual exploitation of children is punishable under the Films, Videos, Publications and Classifications Act. 'This investigation, involving our law enforcement colleagues from the US, demonstrates our commitment to keeping our communities safe, and that we will use all resources available to us to hold to account those who prey on the vulnerability of children both in New Zealand and abroad,' Detective Sergeant Wright says. HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard says: 'HSI works seamlessly with our law enforcement partners across the globe to stop those who produce and distribute child sexual abuse materials. 'The vast number of images uncovered in this joint investigation - many featuring disturbingly realistic computer-generated representations of unspeakable child sexual abuse - is unacceptable in any part of contemporary society. 'This sentence for the defendant reinforces our dedication to protecting the innocence of our most vulnerable populations from such abhorrent child exploitation,' he says. If you, or someone you know, comes across child sexual abuse material online, we urge you to report it: New Zealand Police: Call 105 or report online here 105 Police Non-Emergency Online Reporting | New Zealand Police [1]. If you have immediate concerns for the safety of someone, please call 111. Department of Internal Affairs
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First Post
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
On 100th anniversary of ‘The Gold Rush,' Cannes tips hat to Charlie Chaplin
The film's premiere drew two grandchildren of Chaplin: Kiera Chaplin and Spencer Chaplin. read more One hundred years after Charlie Chaplin made dinner rolls dance and ate his shoe like it was a fine meal, 'The Gold Rush' has been vividly brought back to life in a new restoration that premiered Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival. On the opening day of its 78th edition, Cannes debuted a 4K restoration of 'The Gold Rush,' one of Chaplin's most beloved silent masterpieces. The screening, held just before the festival's official opening ceremony, was part of a new day-one tradition for restored films, festival director Thierry Fremaux said before the screening at Cannes' Debussy Theatre. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Years in the making, this 'Gold Rush' pristinely restores Chaplin's Tramp to all his downtrodden glory. The 1925 Alaskan frontier comedy may be marking its centenary, but it looks bracingly fresh in the restoration carried out by La Cineteca di Bologna. The restoration was more complicated than most because it included an extensive search for any missing footage. In 1942, Chaplin edited the film and re-released it with sound effects, music and narration. That version landed two Oscar nominations, but the restoration sought to get as close to the 1925 original as possible. In 'The Gold Rush' Chaplin's lone prospector ambles through the snowy Alaskan wilds in pursuit less of gold than some food and perhaps companionship. His antic, cliff-dangling struggles make up much of the film's deft slapstick, but the Little Tramp's humble, sweet hopes for romance greatly exceed his strike-it-rich ambitions. The film's premiere drew two grandchildren of Chaplin: Kiera Chaplin and Spencer Chaplin. 'What to say about 'The Gold Rush?' said Spencer Chaplin. 'It was his biggest production to date. He built the set — it was almost like a tourist attraction in L.A. at the time. He built the mountains.' The screening in Cannes drew a packed house in one of Cannes' largest theaters, a crowd that the Chaplin descendants warmly surveyed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Our grandfather would be really proud to see this, a hundred years later, to see all you here and interested in seeing the film,' said Kiera Chaplin. 'The Gold Rush' will roll out in theaters worldwide on June 26 in a release organized by mk2 Films.
