Crewe Review - Final Report

Date Published: 
July 2014

In 2010, after concerns were raised by Rochelle Crewe regarding the homicides of her parents, then Police Commissioner Howard Broad appointed a small team of experienced senior investigators and analysts to undertake a review of the 1970 homicides of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

The review was completed in accordance with the following 'Terms of Reference':

  • You will gather all available source material relating to the 1970 Crewe Homicide investigation; the 1970 committal hearing of Arthur Allan Thomas; the 1971 High [Supreme] Court Trial; the 1972 Court of Appeal Hearing; the 1973 High [Supreme] Court Trial; the 1980 Royal Commission Hearing.
  • Additional material will include (1) documents and correspondence relating to any reexamination of the forensic evidence; and (2) consideration of any new information that has been investigated by Police. You will have the source material copied into an electronic format …. and house the original documents / related material in a secure area.
  • You will prepare a Review / Assessment Plan which will be maintained as a record of decisions made and will also provide sufficient detail to demonstrate that all reasonable assessment and analytical opportunities have been identified, considered and evaluated.
  • You will identify what, if any, avenues of enquiry can be explored as a result of (1) this assessment, or (2) any new information passed to Police, which are to be prioritised and warrant further enquiries to be undertaken and action.
  • You will continue to assess and re‐assess risk, particularly in relation to any new information that is presented to Police.
  • you will evaluate any new evidence that indicates actual, or potential, criminal liability on the part of any person/s that is disclosed within the source material reviewed; and in regard to any new information that comes to light, your assessment will focus on:
    • Crimes Act 1961, Section 167, and associated offences
    • Legislative provisions under Part 6, Crimes Act 1961
    • Crimes affecting the administration of law and justice

This review has now been completed. What follows is the product of almost four years of work, which has included:

  • A review of existing evidence and other material from Court and Police files, archives and publications
  • Approaching and interviewing witnesses who had already made statements and / or given evidence, as well as additional potential witnesses
  • Identifying and pursuing (where possible) any further lines of enquiry
  • Obtaining further expert opinion and analysis in relation to forensic and specialist topics

The Review Team has attempted to give all persons who have any interest in the Crewe case an opportunity to have input. Individuals have been contacted directly in certain cases, as well as public notices being given in the media for persons to contact the Review Team with any information. One of the goals was to conduct as thorough an investigation as possible in the hope of ensuring that all reasonable avenues of enquiry were explored.
 

Crewe Review - Appendix 19: Court of Appeal Judgements

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 19 of the Crewe Review has the judgements by the Court of Appeal which formed a part of the review into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

The judgements are from:

  • 18 June 1971, First Appeal - Court of Appeal Judgment
  • 2 February 1972, First Petition - Report Sir George McGREGOR
  • 26 February 1973, First Referral - Court of Appeal Judgment
  • 11 July 1973, Second Appeal - Court of Appeal Judgment
  • 26 August 1974, Second Petition - Court of Appeal Judgment
  • 29 January 1975, Second Referral - Court of Appeal Opinion
  • 29 August 1980, Judicial Review - High Court Judgment
  • 30 July 1982, Judicial Review - Court of Appeal Judgment

Crewe Review - Appendix 18: NZ Police Manual for Detectives - Homicide Investigation

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 18 of the Crewe Review is the manual used by New Zealand Police Detectives who investigated the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe. The manual was produced in 1964.

Crewe Review - Appendix 17: Miscellaneous reports

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 17 of the Crewe Review has a range of miscellaneous reports that formed a part of the review into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

The miscellaneous reports includes:

  • Report of Fingerprint Analysis (2013), by Mark HUMPHRIES, Principal Fingerprint Officer, New Zealand Police
  • Report of Fingerprint Examination (1979), by Detective Sergeant Mervyn DEDMAN, Officer in Charge Fingerprint & Photography Section, Auckland, New Zealand Police
  • List of items fingerprinted by Detective Sergeant Mervyn DEDMAN during the scene examination at the Crewe farm house in June 1970.
  • Report of Handwriting Analysis  (1978), by John WEST, Document Examiner, New Zealand Police
  • List of Event Attendees on 17 June 1970
    • Pukekawa Ratepayers' Meeting
    • Indoor Bowls
    • Table Tennis

Crewe Review - Appendix 16: Opinion of Solicitor-General Paul NEAZOR QC as to the prosecution of Bruce HUTTON, 1981

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 6 of the Crewe Review is the opinion of Solicitor-General Paul Neazor QC as to the prosecution of Bruce Hutton which formed a part of the review into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

Crewe Review - Appendix 15: Report of the Royal Commission to Inquire into the Circumstances of the Convictions of Arthur Allan THOMAS for the murders of David Harvey & Jeannette Lenore CREWE, 1980

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 15 of the Crewe Review is the 1980 Report of the Royal Commission into the conviction of Arthur Allan Thomas in relation to the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

Crewe Review - Appendix 14: ‘Investigation into certain aspects of the evidence relating to the conviction for murder of Arthur Allan THOMAS’

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 14 of the Crewe Review are two reports by Mr Robert Adams-Smith QC which outline the investigation into certain aspects of evidence relating to the murder conviction of Arthur Allan Thomas. These two reports were used as part of the review into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

Crewe Review - Appendix 13: Criminal Profiling Unit Report on the Crewe Murders (2013)

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 13 of the Crewe Review is the 2013 report by the Criminal Profiling Unit undertaken as part of the review into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

The report is a criminal profile of the perpetrator(s) responsible for murders, and includes sections on:

  • information sources;
  • report caveats;
  • Arthur Allan Thomas;
  • revisiting the evidence;
  • and alternative scenario; and
  • questions for the review team.
     

Crewe Review - Appendix 12: Report of Wire Analysis (2013)

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 12 of the Crewe Review is the 2013 report into the analysis of the wire samples by Professor George Ferguson as part of the review into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.

The report looks at five key elements of the wire analysis, including:

  • a review and evaluation of two different scientific methodologies,
  • a review and evaluation of two different sets of evidence presented in court; and
  • a comprehensive expert report that clarify which set of evidence presented is preferable, and why.
     

Crewe Review - Appendix 11: Extract from 'The Zealand .22 Rimfire' (2000)

Date Published: 
July 2014

Appendix 11 of the Crewe Review is an extract from 'The New Zealand .22 Rimfire' (2000), by Barry Gracia and Kevan Walsh, relevant to the investigation into the deaths of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe.