Police will review the way officers give formal warnings, after a teacher was wrongly warned over grooming accusations.
Photo: 123rf
The High Court has ruled a warning issued to a teacher, who was accused of grooming a 15-year-old student, was illegal.
Justice Davison found the warning given to the teacher should not have been given, because no charges were laid, yet the man was subjected to the same legal and professional consequences as if he had been charged. His name was added to multiple databases.
Police said formal warnings were intended to hold people to account, without the need for court action.
However, the public needs to have confidence in the warnings system, so the review will look at how to support and monitor officers to be consistent in issuing warnings.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority recommended a review of formal warnings four years ago.
Its [https://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/publications-and-media/2016-Media-Releases/2016SEP14-Pre-Charge-Warnings.aspx
review in 2016] found between 25 and 50 percent of eligible cases were given warnings in different police districts.
At that time, the authority expressed concern that non-Māori offenders were more likely to be let off with a warning than Māori offenders.