It was probable David Bain was innocent, retired Canadian Justice Ian Binnie found.
Justice Binnie found Mr Bain was definitely the victim of a botched police investigation. It was, he said, so bad it constituted "extraordinary circumstances" and Mr Bain should be compensated.
Justice Minister Judith Collins dismissed Justice Binnie's report, calling it "flawed". Mr Bain called a halt on his compensation claim and filed action with the High Court.
Documents released to the Herald under the Official Information Act detail the unravelling of the compensation claim - almost from the moment Justice Binnie's report landed with Mrs Collins last year on August 31.
Mrs Collins met Justice Binnie two weeks later to tell him she held "serious concerns" and intended to have it peer reviewed. She wrote to retired Justice Robert Fisher, QC, on September 26 asking him to do so.