1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: Kiota. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is a bonus episode 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: of the Front Page, a daily podcast presented by the 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 1: New Zealand Herald. Six years after Gore toddler Locke Jones 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 1: was found dead in a gore oxidation pond, the coroner 5 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: has handed down his findings. Coroner Alexander Hoe has called 6 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,639 Speaker 1: for a third police investigation, concluding that there were gaps 7 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: in the original one that make it difficult to truly 8 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: establish what happened to the three year old that night. 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: Enzed Herald reporter Ben Thomson has been following the proceedings 10 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: and joins us now on the Front Page to discuss 11 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: the coroner's findings. So then the key thing people want 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: to know is was this foul play or was it 13 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: an accident? What is the coroner said on that regard, 14 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: So Coroner. 15 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: Hoe, he's not actually reached a definitive conclusion whether Lockie's 16 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 2: death was a result of foul play or an accident. 17 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: He said, the evidence has not established the police's original 18 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:16,199 Speaker 2: conclusion was obviously that Lockey accidentally drowned after wandering off, 19 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 2: Nor was he able to rule out other possibilities, including 20 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: third party involvement. So ultimately, the coroner's ultimately found that 21 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 2: the cause of death was undetermined. He said, he's not 22 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: satisfied that the evidence makes accidental drowning the likeliest one, 23 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: and that renders all other possibilities unlikely. 24 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: So the bulk of the report highlights what Hoe says 25 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: are gaps in the initial investigation. What are some of 26 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: those common errors or concerns that police made when looking 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: at this case? 28 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 2: So, and then his findings the coroner has He's essentially 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: slammed the initial police investigation. He's I said witness statements 30 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 2: and timings around Lockie's movements were inconsistent and at times 31 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 2: completely unreliable. These gaps meant he was unable to look 32 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 2: at the investigation and conclusively determine how and when Locke 33 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 2: came to be in the water. He was also fairly 34 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: critical of the pathologist's report, saying the original post modern 35 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 2: report was so poor that he could also not safely 36 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 2: rely on that, specifically relating to the fact that Lockey's 37 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 2: skull was never opened during the autopsy, leaving the potential 38 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 2: faithal head trauma unexplored. 39 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: A lot of the media attension around this case has 40 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: been driven by Lockey's father, pol his council suggested during 41 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: the inquest hearings last year that Locke's mother, Michelle Officer, 42 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: and her sons Jonathan and Cameron Scott were involved in 43 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: Locke's death in some way. What did Hoe have to 44 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: say about that line of questioning, so. 45 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 2: Cornahoe, he did address those claims, those accusations directly. He said. 46 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 2: The theory pushed by Paul Jones's council his lawyer Matt Simpkins, 47 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: that Lockey's mother, Michelle or her other sons Locky's half 48 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 2: brothers killed Lockey or stored his body in a freezer 49 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 2: they moved it to the pond. Cornahoet said that was 50 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: implausible and unsupported by evidence. It was in the findings 51 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 2: that Locke was seen alive and running down Salford Street 52 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: between eight fifty nine to fifteen pm, which rendered the 53 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 2: theory of an early death and the body being placed 54 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: in a freezer theory not forcible in the coroner's words, 55 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 2: So they said it was inherently improbable that Miss Officer 56 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: was complicent in any unlawful killing of her child. So 57 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: in regards to Cameron Scott, the eldest of the half brothers. 58 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 2: He said there was no implication or essentially nothing to 59 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: place Cameron around the home around the time Lockie went missing. 60 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: As for Jonathan Scott, who was living with Michelle and 61 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 2: Lockey at the time Lockee went missing, he caught him 62 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 2: to question his reliability as a witness, but he failed 63 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: to make any definitive rulings on Jonathan's whereabouts or actions 64 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: the night of Lockey's disappearance, largely due to a lack 65 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: of reliable evidence. 66 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: So what of the families had to say about the 67 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: new investigation and the rest of the coroner's findings. 68 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 2: Yes, So, Following the coroner's findings today, Paul Jones spoke 69 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: to media outside the courthouse. He said he was quite 70 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 2: satisfied with Coronerhoe's findings and that he had done a 71 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 2: wonderful job over the last few months. He did speak 72 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 2: to his doubts that a subsequent investigation will bring her 73 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 2: any more closure, but he did say that he would 74 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 2: like to see the reinvestigation conducted by Metropolitan Police from 75 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: Auckland as well as being overseen by the Police Commissioner. 76 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 2: Michelle Officer released a statement through her lawyer, Beatrix Woodhouse, 77 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 2: saying that she welcomed the coroner's findings, acknowledging that the 78 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 2: coroner accepted that Locke slipped away from her in a 79 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 2: brief moment of inattention, and she wished to thank the 80 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 2: members of the public who provided evidence and the many 81 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: people who showed her compassion throughout this time. She also 82 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 2: expressed her concern with the coronial process. She intended to 83 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 2: be a healing process, but she felt an adversarial and 84 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: quite a traumatizing experience. She reiterated that throughout the process 85 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 2: she has remained steadfast in her account and following the 86 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 2: colner's findings, she hopes to grieve privately alongside her two sons. 87 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: So what are the next steps? Ben? Is it too 88 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: early to say what will happen with the police investigation? Yeah? 89 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 2: So what's next? Is? The next move essentially lies with 90 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: the police. The coroner has recommended a full and fresh reinvestigation, 91 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: emphasizing that it's an operational matter for police to determine 92 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 2: how and by whom it would be carried out. He 93 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 2: has suggested the investigation should be led by an experienced 94 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 2: officer outside from the Southam district, and he's directed police 95 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 2: to report back to the Coroner on the progress on 96 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: the new investigation by our sixteenth of January next year. 97 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: And Ben, you've been reporting on this case for quite 98 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 1: some time, sitting through the inquest, and we spoke to 99 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: you about that when that happened, and of course this 100 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: one as well. What sticks out to you in this case, 101 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: what's new that you've found today? 102 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 2: I think, or the coroner directing a new investigation or 103 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: a reinvestigation be opened into the matter. I think it 104 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: was somewhat expected, but at the same time quite a 105 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 2: surprise that the coroner has not directly pointed the finger 106 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 2: at anyone, but he's essentially saying, let's reopen this investigation 107 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 2: to narrow and close any room for misjustice or anything 108 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 2: like that. He's essentially trying to close all the other possibilities. Essentially, 109 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 2: there are just a lot of big, wide empty spaces 110 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: and the layout of information here. You know, there are 111 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 2: witnesses who say they saw Locke running along Salford Street, 112 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 2: but they failed to corroborate certain times as other witnesses. 113 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 2: And he essentially said it's the main fact that Locke 114 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: was indeed running down Salford Street, but whether or not 115 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 2: he was intercepted at the corner of Salford Street and 116 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 2: Grassland's Road, which is the road leading towards the oxidation pond. 117 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: He said that will remained a possibility. While I'm plausible 118 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 2: there was no evidence to rule that out. Thanks for 119 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 2: joining us, Ben no worries. Thank you very much. 120 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 121 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 122 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: at enzad Herald dot co dot nz. The Front Page 123 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: is produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is 124 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: also a sound engineer. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to The 125 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcast, 126 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: and tune in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.