Grisly images on camera lost by police

Pieri Munro says that the loss of the camera is 'not good enough.' Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police have admitted a "monstrous mistake" when crime scene images, including dead bodies and domestic violence victims, were left behind at a house following a drugs raid.

The Police Commissioner has assured his minister that the blunder will not be repeated.

The digital camera was left at a Lower Hutt house during a search for drugs last year. It contained hundreds of images of crime scenes, including dead and decaying bodies and victims of domestic violence. At least 16 people were identifiable in the pictures.

Minister of Police Judith Collins said last night: "Obviously, this is embarrassing for the police. It is essential that police keep track of sensitive material and don't let it fall into the wrong hands.

"I raised the issue with Police Commissioner Howard Broad today. He assured me that while there is always a chance that objects could be left behind in the heat of police operations, new processes have been put in place to minimise the chance of it happening again."

Police retrieved the camera but not before Stokes Valley man Chris Kidman copied the images and tried to sell them to the media yesterday.

Wellington police district commander Superintendent Pieri Munro apologised to the people who could be identified from the images.

"It's of concern to me that the images were not in police possession, that the camera was mislaid by one of our staff. It's unacceptable, it's not good enough."

The police camera was mislaid at a Lower Hutt address on December 1 last year, he said.

An inquiry began the next day, and police were notified on December 4 that a person had found the camera, which was promptly returned.

Police were told by media yesterday that the images had been copied by Mr Kidman.

It was believed Mr Kidman had connections to the person who returned the camera.

Mr Munro said police were trying to find the people whose images may be identifiable on the camera, and apologise to them.

"This is a mistake that my staff made. We're accountable for that, I accept that."

It was the second incident of mislaid police property in as many days, after it was revealed on Wednesday that police had left a restricted document with members of the Mongrel Mob during a raid last month.

Public confidence was shaken by the two incidents, Mr Munro said.

"We've made two monstrous mistakes. They were unrelated, quite different circumstances.

"I'm disappointed, we are embarrassed as a result."

Mr Munro confirmed that after the camera's return, police prosecutors made a submission to a judge regarding a case close to the person who returned the camera.

Mr Munro denied that the person had blackmailed police into accepting a plea bargain for an uncle facing unrelated drugs and firearms charges.

"There was no plea bargaining here. What did happen was that police - which is not unusual in a police case - made a formal letter submission to the judge.

"It was not a plea bargain, it was at the discretion of the judge."

Mr Munro was unable to comment on the contents of the letter.