Officer charged over alleged evidence ploy

An Auckland police officer has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice after allegedly sneaking into a station to destroy his own evidential blood samples.

The officer has been stood down from duties after what a top Auckland cop has described as a serious incident at a North Shore station.

The police officer, 33, who appeared in the Waita¯kere District Court yesterday, is charged with illegally entering a police station and attempting to pervert the course of justice by destroying evidential blood samples taken from him.

He also faces a charge of driving while forbidden to drive.

Court documents show the blood samples were taken from the officer on Sunday — the same day police claim he snuck into the Harbour Bridge station to allegedly destroy the evidence against him.

The charge of wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice has a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment, while entering the Northcote Pt police base with intent to commit an imprisonable offence carries the possibility of up to 10 years in prison.

Driving while forbidden has a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine.

The officer did not enter a plea on the three charges and was remanded on bail ahead of his next appearance in a month’s time in the same court.

He was not initially granted name suppression when he appeared before a registrar, represented by duty lawyer George Burns.

When Burns realised the Herald was making inquiries, he asked for the matter to be recalled. The officer was then granted interim name suppression.

A police prosecutor in court said police were neutral on whether suppression was to be granted.

Arguments for and against suppression will be heard at his next appearance.

The officer was at home with his young family in West Auckland when approached by the Herald. He declined to comment.

Waitemata¯ District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan said a thorough investigation is under way.