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The father of Lachlan Jones believes the investigation into his 3-year-old son’s death was a “botched-up police job”, but confirmed the allegations made throughout an inquest into the death were made on his behalf.
Paul Jones in the witness stand of the Invercargill Courthouse during the coronial inquest into his son Lachie Jones' death. Photo / Southland Times, Stuff
Jones told the inquest he did not know what happened on that night, but when asked by police counsel Robin Bates if the allegations made by his lawyer Max Simpkins that Lachie’s mother Michelle Officer and Lachie’s half brothers Cameron and Johnnie (who at the time were aged 18 and 16 respectively) were either involved in or had knowledge of the boy’s death and cover-up were made on his behalf, he replied: “That is correct.”
Bates put it to Jones that the inquest had heard about discord in Officer’s home due to his drinking, which Jones said he “took full responsibility for”.
“I had an issue where I was brought before the courts and [Officer] has made a statement here that it was male assaults female, but it wasn’t, it was just a push, a common assault,” he told the inquest.
He admitted that when he was drinking he was prone to outbursts at Officer’s other sons due to their alleged mistreatment of Lachie.
Paul Jones, the father of Lachie Jones, won't give up his search for answers. Image / NZME / George Heard
He recalled an incident where Lachie was on his half-brother Johnnie’s shoulders and “for some reason he crashed onto the ground”.
Jones said he wanted to take Lachie to the hospital “with or without Michelle, but she decided to come in the end”.
He recalled another incident where Lachie told him his elder half-brother Cameron would smack him on his hand when he was “being naughty” and another when he alleged Johnny brought a friend home while they were drunk, and “he spewed out in the carport and he widdled in the kitchen and he p****d over Lachie”.
Bates put it to Jones that throughout the inquest, the inquest had heard from various witnesses that Lachie was “an energetic little boy”.
Jones disputed this, joking that: “He was a lazy little prick.”
Lawyer Robin Bates at the Invercargill courthouse during the coronial inquest into Lachie Jones' death. Photo / Southland Times, Stuff
Jones said: “At the end of the day, if your events are true, what mother loses [Lachie] again, what mother puts him down and never picks him up again?”
“I’m disappointed that they had care of him, and if someone else picked him up that night why isn’t [Officer] trying like I am,” he said.
“It seems like a bloody botched-up police job and you’re trying to fix it.”
He alleged that Officer’s version of events “did not stack up”.
Officer previously told the inquest their relationship had broken down, but Jones alleged that the morning of Lachie’s death, after he had stayed the night, Officer cooked him eggs and kissed him on the cheek.
Jones told the inquest he had been worried for Lachie’s safety, and recalled relaying this to Sergeant Hua Tamariki while being transported by police to Invercargill following an arrest for assaulting Officer.
Bates put it to Jones that Tamariki, who was due to appear later in the inquest, would give evidence that this exchange did not happen.
Jones told the inquest that Lachie was not energetic and he had not seen him chasing ducks before.
Bates questioned Jones on a video shown previously in the inquest that showed Lachie running, but disputed that he was chasing ducks.
Under questioning from Beatrix Woodhouse, counsel for Lachie’s mother, Jones said he did not accept the alleged timeline of events established by prior witnesses but if he were, he still did not believe Officer did everything she could.
Jones told the inquest he believed Officer was a neglectful mother, despite her a court order that she would have day-to-day care of Lachie.
Lawyer Liberty Wells, counsel for the pathologist, asked Jones why he refused a post-mortem for Lachie, he told the inquest: “Just didn’t want my son to be cut up and that, I guess.”
Senior Officer believes right decisions were made
Senior Sergeant Cynthia Fairley said that while the right decisions were made from what was immediately in front of police on the night of Lachie’s death, more could have been done.
Counsel assisting the coroner Simon Mount KC put it to Fairley that there was “a long list of unknowns” that night, including the cause of death, time of death, and how Lachie got to the pond, which Fairly accepted.
She told the inquest police were “confident” the boy seen running past neighbours’ houses was Lachie.
Mount put it to Fairley that this was an assumption as the witnesses did not know Lachie, to which Fairly agreed.
“At that time the information we had in front of us did not indicate a suspicious death,” she said.
Gore Police senior sergeant Cynthia Fairley in the witness stand of the Invercargill Courthouse on Thursday for week 2 of the coronial inquest into Lachie Jones' death, on January 29, 2019. Photo / Southland Times / Stuff
Lachie Jones’ grandfather gives evidence
Lachie’s grandfather, Graham Jones, told the inquest that his son Paul had been living with him and his partner for around two months following the breakdown of his relationship with Officer.
He told the inquest he observed Lachie’s body at the St John centre on the evening of his death, and it was “absolutely frozen”.
He said he cuddled the boy and checked his body for marks, finding none.
The grandfather told the inquest Lachie was no more energetic than a “normal 3-year-old”.
He said he never visited Officer at her house and told the inquest his knowledge of their relationship came from Paul.
