Jevon McSkimming investigation: Former top cop selling properties
Now it has been revealed multiple properties McSkimming is listed as owning have been sold or are for sale.
A property listing for a Waikanae property he owns with his wife is priced at $595,000, having earlier been bought for $605,000 in 2023.
The listing states 'with a motivated vendor, we need to sell!'
Another listing for a different Waikanae property of his, which asked for buyer enquiries over $715,000, is now updated as sold.
In January, McSkimming's lawyers said he was cooperating with the police and expected to 'resume his duties' after being cleared by the investigation into the original complaint.
However he resigned suddenly after being confronted with allegations of a 'very serious nature'.
'I instructed the Public Service Commission to commence the process to remove Mr McSkimming from office after allegations of a very serious nature recently came to light, separate to the investigation that led to him being suspended,' Police Minister Mark Mitchell said.
'The Policing Act is very clear: A Deputy Commissioner of Police must be a 'fit and proper' person. They are rightly held to the highest standards of conduct and this new information called into serious question Mr McSkimming's fitness for office.
'When Mr McSkimming was invited to respond to these allegations he chose to resign. Mr McSkimming's resignation has confirmed my view that his continuation in the role was untenable.'
Mitchell did not reveal the nature of the new allegations.
However the Herald earlier revealed that detectives investigating the original complaint against McSkimming allegedly discovered pornographic material on one of his electronic work devices.
It is understood that the material is being assessed as to whether or not it could be classified as objectionable, which could lead to criminal charges.
The alleged pornographic material was not relevant to the original complaint, but was evidence to start a new investigation.
McSkimming then resigned after the existence of the alleged pornographic material was disclosed to him.
- With reporting by Jared Savage
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Real Life: Jared Savage on how gangs, crime and drug activity in NZ are evolving
'The underworld, the drug trade gangs, cartels, Asian crime syndicates – it's showing no sign of abating. In fact, New Zealand's appetite for drugs in particular seems insatiable,' he said. 'Police and ESR scientists can test the wastewater to see how much meth or other drugs are being consumed on a weekly basis. For a long time, we were around the 15kg mark each week… but in the back end of last year, that figure more than doubled to nearly 40kg a week. 'And this is happening at the same time that the Police and Customs are doing a great job, making huge busts, seizing more drugs than ever before.' Savage said when he first started writing for the NZ Herald two decades ago, catching 1kg of meth at the border was 'a huge deal' and would make front-page news – but no longer. '[Now] the smallest dealer on the street would have 10 times that in the back of their car. We're talking 100-700kg imports now,' he told Real Life. 'Those are the ones they're catching; I wouldn't like to say that that's the biggest, because I think probably some of the biggest ones have slipped through the border.' Savage told Cowan the increase in drugs coming into New Zealand is a big issue, having a major impact on social issues, poverty, unemployment and youth suicide – 'quite heavy things which are not easy to solve'. He says one of the biggest changes in organised crime in New Zealand, detailed in Underworld, is the rise of the so-called 'Nike Bikey gangs' – a new, slicker generation of criminals that are vastly different from their counterparts in the 1980s and '90s. 'A lot of established gangs that you'd recognise on our roads or around the places where you live were sort of ragtag, scruffy, leather-wearing, greasy-haired motorbike kind of guys,' he said. 'It's sort of evolved in the past sort of five to 10 years … a lot of these guys are younger, good-looking, clean-cut. They go to the gym, they look good, they've got great clothing and beautiful girlfriends and they're putting it all over Instagram. 'It's quite a different shift, which is possibly in tune with wider society as well.' This shift – which is at least in part a result of the influx of 501 deportees from Australia arriving on our shores – has also brought an increase in execution- and assassination-style hits, says Savage. 'Don't get me wrong, New Zealand criminals and gang members have always used firearms or had them in their possession, largely for intimidation purposes or protection,' he told Real Life. 'What we've seen in the last five years is more of a penchant for using them, and that's led to retaliation, tit-for-tat stuff. I'm actually amazed that more innocent people haven't been caught in the crossfire of some of these conflicts.' Adding to the difficulty in dealing with the issue of drugs and organised crime activity, though, is that enforcement alone doesn't yield results. Savage says the war on drugs around the world has shown the need to tackle not just the supply of drugs, but the demand for it – by helping those struggling with addiction. 'We need to be tackling … the sort of environments that lead to perpetual use, because it's very hard to break out of that cycle, particularly if you're in an environment where all your friends and family are also using. There's a lot of evidence to show that. 'A lot of reports say that New Zealand does need to be investing more into rehabilitation, counselling, support – all those things that can make a big difference. Because if you stop that demand, that will have an effect on the supply as well.' Savage acknowledges the world that he reports on is often 'pretty grim', but credits his Christian faith with giving him hope. 'It's a central part of my life and who I am, and you can't sort of separate the two. You can't leave it at the door when you go to interview someone. 'I mean, I've seen some pretty horrific things in my time… [my faith] is something that keeps me level-headed and grounded.' Savage says he's hopeful his new book will help readers understand the complexity of criminal activity. 'I hope people would… understand not just the fact that there is this big problem that we've got, but also some of the reasons as to why somebody might join a gang, why someone might sort of enter that world of drug-dealing. 'Not to excuse it, but to just have a bit more understanding, a bit more nuance, to see the shades of grey.' Real Life is a weekly interview show where John Cowan speaks with prominent guests about their life, upbringing, and the way they see the world. Tune in Sundays from 7:30pm on Newstalk ZB or listen to the latest full interview here. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
13 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Speedway racing death: Coroner says police ‘destroyed' evidence after Stephen Penn crash
Stephen Penn with his wife Vanessa Penn. Penn was wearing a lot of safety gear, including a helmet and a hybrid restraint designed to protect a driver's head and neck on impact. In a coroner's report obtained by the Herald, Coroner Heidi Wrigley noted there was 'potentially important evidence that was not available to this inquiry'. That included the helmet. Wrigley said police photographed it, then 'destroyed it without carefully inspecting it'. Wrigley added the hybrid restraint also wasn't provided, and 'it is possible that it was disposed of inadvertently after being taken from the scene with other items of Mr Penn's safety equipment'. 'The unavailability of the helmet and hybrid has prevented any effective independent expert consideration of whether there was some issue with either of those pieces of safety equipment which contributed to Mr Penn's death,' Wrigley wrote. 'Accordingly, this is a possibility I cannot rule out.' The tragedy happened at Robertson Prestige International Speedway, located at Palmerston North's Central Energy Trust Arena. Photo / File Wrigley added 'the significant movement' of Penn's head upon impact with the rival car and concrete wall 'could be indicative of some issue with the Hybrid and/or his helmet'. She said the evidence was of 'poor quality' which meant she was unable to identify potential problems with his gear. Why police 'disposed' of helmet Inspector Ross Grantham, Manawatū Area Commander, told the Herald police were not 'given the opportunity to be heard on this matter' before Wrigley released her findings. That meant they were unable to explain to the coroner why the helmet was disposed of. Grantham said Wrigley only asked for photographs of the helmet for her inquiry, not the helmet itself. Inspector Ross Grantham claims police were not asked for the helmet – only photographs of it. Photo / Mark Mitchell 'Police held Mr Penn's helmet for some months following his fatal crash,' he said. 'During that time, the coroner had requested additional photos of the helmet, which police provided. At this time a decision was made to dispose of it, as it was no longer considered necessary to retain it for evidential purposes.' Grantham said police 'noted' the findings into Penn's death. 'On behalf of NZ Police, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones,' he said. Stephen Penn in action at the Robertson Prestige International Speedway in car No 59P. Were proper safety checks done? Wrigley's written findings said 59P had undergone a Speedway New Zealand (SNZ) scrutineering and safety check process and been cleared. But 'the scrutineer's certificate does not make it clear whether Mr Penn's helmet and other safety gear was checked,' it says. The box on the scrutineering certificate addressing that was unmarked. Speedway bosses: 'It is not possible to eliminate all risk' Wrigley wrote in her findings how Penn's vehicle struck a competitor before being 'propelled' into the outer concrete wall of the racetrack. An emergency response team rushed to his car, but he died within it soon after the crash. A later examination of the Superstock vehicle by a SNZ scrutineer 'identified no pre-existing faults that could have contributed to the crash'. Speedway racing has inherent dangers, regardless of how safety-conscious drivers and teams are. A post-mortem report stated the blunt force head injury suffered by Penn was 'immediately unsurvivable'. As part of her inquiry, Wrigley had access to footage of the crash taken from various cameras including one inside 59P. 'I find that the cause of the crash which resulted in Mr Penn's fatal injury was him driving into the rear of a competitor's car as part of a legitimate Superstock Team race strategy to manoeuvre the car out of his way,' Wrigley wrote. 'The forces involved in this collision resulted in Mr Penn losing control of his Superstock 59P which was diverted into the concrete wall on the outside of the racetrack. 'The front right, then left rear, of the Superstock 59P crashed into the wall. At least one of these three impacts was responsible for Mr Penn's fatal head injury.' Wrigley wrote how Superstock Team racing came with 'inherent risk of serious injury even when appropriate safety precautions are followed.' The New Zealand SuperStock Teams Championship is one of the biggest events on the Kiwi speedway calendar. Photo / Sportsweb Photography SNZ general manager Aaron Kirby wrote in a report to the inquiry that Penn's death was an 'unfortunate accident' that had followed typical 'aggressive' Superstock teams racing. 'Mr Kirby advised that while Speedway NZ strives to achieve the highest level of safety possible, it is not possible to eliminate all risk,' Wrigley wrote. 'Speedway NZ's position is that all reasonable and practicable precautions were taken on the day of the crash to ensure Mr Penn was compliant with Speedway NZ rules.' WorkSafe had earlier looked at Penn's death but deemed it would not investigate, saying: 'Speedway / car racing has a high risk [of] accident or injury. Initial enquiries found [that Speedway NZ] had adequate controls at the time of the accident.' Stephen Penn's family In a written statement to the Herald, Penn's family said they were 'happy with the coroner's findings that they have ruled it a tragic freak accident'. The family hoped the findings would 'end any speculation or unfounded assumptions' regarding the accident. Penn had a 'huge passion' for speedway. 'Growing up around racing meant the love for motorsport was in his blood,' the family said. The speedway community rallied around the Penn family after Stephen Penn (inset) died in a racing crash. 'Within speedway, he aspired to be part of a team where he could do his part in assisting them to the finish line.' His loved ones stressed he never compromised on safety. 'Knowing that speedway was a dangerous sport, safety was the absolute top priority when Stephen raced,' they said. 'What happened to Stephen has not impacted our love for the sport and we are happy that this also has not hindered the continuation of Teams Champs.' In a post in SNZ's June newsletter, the sport's governing body described the driver as a 'great ambassador' for speedway. Flanked by Kyla and Vanessa Penn, Kaelin Mooney holds the Stephen Penn Rookie of Teams Champs trophy named in honour of the late driver. Photo / Troy Adamson SNZ wrote that since the tragedy occurred it had 'assisted the coroner with documentation and evidence requests relating to the incident and the sport itself'. The organisation said its 'first priority' had been towards Vanessa and his two daughters. 'The family wish to have it conveyed that Stephen's death was a freak and tragic accident, a result of doing something he truly loved.' Kind-hearted Kiwis donated $96,101 to the Penn family via a Givealittle page created after the racing death. The Penn family told the Herald the support they received would never be forgotten. 'We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported us through this tough time,' they said. 'During this time, we saw the speedway community come together as a family and showed people that this is not just a sport but a passion. 'Lastly, thanks to everyone that keeps his legacy alive and not letting this affect their love for the sport which Stephen would have wanted.' Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Justice Minister criticises Meta over drug ads on Facebook Marketplace
Magic mushrooms have been advertised for sale in locations across the North Island on Facebook Marketplace. Photo / Meta / Facebook Marketplace A Bay of Plenty man said he made dozens of complaints over several weeks about the listings, but Meta took no action and the ads remained active. It was only when the Herald contacted Meta on Thursday that a spokeswoman said many listings had been removed and Meta was continuing to review the situation. 'Meta has removed numerous Facebook Marketplace ads promoting the sale of illicit drugs for violating community standards,' the spokeswoman told the Herald. One ad showed what appeared to be a sheet of LSD tabs. Photo / Meta / Facebook Marketplace However, by Friday morning, dozens of listings offering mushrooms, gummies and edible psychedelics had resurfaced with links to Telegram accounts offering other class A substances. Speaking to Michael Morrah on Herald NOW, Goldsmith said it was 'outrageous' and he would be contacting Meta. 'As Justice Minister I'll be asking some tough questions about how this is happening, and what's going on. This [not preventing illegal drug sales] is something they should be doing better on, and we'll be making that very clear to them.' He said it raised questions about whether law changes were needed to make Meta more accountable. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says he will be asking Meta some tough questions about listings for class A drugs surfacing on Facebook Marketplace. Photo / Mark Mitchell Concerns have been raised about tech barons hiding behind a provision in telecommunications legislation called exclusion of liability that protected them from third-party content posted on their platforms. Goldsmith, who's also Broadcasting Minister, said making changes in that area had global ramifications. 'In terms of the broader relationship with Meta, and all those big [tech] companies, we do need to put pressure on but also be mindful of the global context.' Labour MP Willie Jackson says companies like Meta should be made accountable. Photo / Mark Mitchell Labour's Willie Jackson was highly critical of the failures exposed by the Herald's investigation. Asked on Herald NOW if Meta was running roughshod over the rules and didn't care, he agreed. 'Absolutely, it's an indictment on them,' he said. 'This is just an absolute disgrace. It shows the arrogance of these companies that they can get away with this.' Jackson said companies like Meta should be made accountable, rules should be imposed and he accused Goldsmith of 'not doing anything'. 'Look at the billions they're taking out of this country, and [they have] no regard at all.' Some of the magic mushrooms that have appeared for sale in New Zealand on Facebook Marketplace. Photo / Meta / Facebook Marketplace Meta's spokeswoman said the company enforces its policies, including a prohibition against the promotion or sale of illegal drugs, through a combination of reports from users, human review and artificial intelligence. She said the company recently updated its community standards to prevent precursor chemicals that could be used to make drugs from being sold. She also said any violation involving the sale of drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine or heroin, will result in accounts being disabled. However, Massey University public health researcher Dr Robin van der Sanden didn't think targeting sellers of illegal drugs was a priority for Meta. She said the company was 'walking this tight rope' between doing enough to stave off the regulators but not being so restrictive that it loses users to other platforms. 'So that does kind of undermine their willingness to prioritise tackling things like illegal activity on the platform because their priority really is the money-making aspect of it,' she said. Facebook reported making $7.59 million in New Zealand last year, which was down from profits in previous years. Michael Morrah is a senior investigative reporter/team leader at the Herald. He won News Journalist of the Year at the 2025 Voyager Media Awards and has twice been named reporter of the year at the NZ Television Awards. He has been a broadcast journalist for 20 years and joined the Herald's video team in July 2024.
