Dad braced as coroner set to deliver Lachie findings

If today’s coronial findings into the mysterious death of a 3-year-old Gore boy do not result in a renewed police investigation, it will be the “biggest injustice in New Zealand”, the boy’s father says.

Coroner Alexander Ho is delivering his findings regarding the death of Lachie Jones in Invercargill today, more than a year after the five-week inquest began.

Police swiftly concluded the toddler drowned after he was found face-up in an oxidation pond 1.2km from his home, but later confessed they “missed some steps” in the initial investigation.

Lachie’s father Paul Jones never believed his son drowned and has been campaigning for justice since his death on January 29, 2019.

Speaking with the Otago Daily Times yesterday he said he was feeling “optimistic” about the delivery of the coronial findings and hoped the police would be directed to re-investigate the death.

“That would be the biggest injustice in New Zealand, if that didn’t happen. And I don’t know why we’ve had a coronial hearing if that doesn’t happen,” he said.

But today’s hearing would not bring him closure.

“I expect them to send it back to the police, and then I’m no better off than I was six years ago,” he said.

“They should have done their job properly. Honestly, it’s a disgrace.”

And the fight to bring Lachie justice would not stop either.

“It won’t stop until I get my answers,” Mr Jones said.

He had “no faith” in the local police and wanted fresh investigators involved.

While this might be the end of the court hearings, it is not a definitive conclusion as the coroner could recommend further work on the investigation.

In a minute from the coroner released last month, he indicated police were gathering further information which was raised as an issue in his draft findings.

The specifics of those inquiries cannot yet be revealed.

The coroner is expected to take all day to read his final findings — the draft version was 163 pages.

The contents of the findings cannot be published until the coroner is finished reading and may be subject to suppression orders.

The findings were originally scheduled to be delivered on June 6, but an 11th-hour decision by Lachie’s half-brother Jonathan Scott — previously without legal representation — to appoint a lawyer delayed proceedings until today.

Anthony Woodhouse signalled he might apply for suppression of details relating to Mr Scott and asked for that indication to also be kept under wraps.

He cited recent social media posts about his client and his alleged involvement in Lachie’s death and the possibility publication could prompt more adverse speculation.

But the coroner declined the application.

“While there is certainly a possibility, as with anything, that some in the community will draw inferences from what is said or done, it is not in the court’s power to control individuals’ reactions,” he said.

At the inquest last year, allegations flew.

Staged phone calls, a body in a freezer and a mystery shirtless man were among the theories explored at the first phase of the inquest.

At its opening, Simon Mount, KC, counsel assisting the coroner, explained why the case had so many questioning the initial police conclusion.

“How can it be that a 3-and-a-half-year-old boy runs away 1.2km, 9 o’clock at night, dirty nappy, climbs a fence, travels across some pretty uncomfortable ground … through the vegetation. No-one out searching sees him. He doesn’t respond to anyone calling out his name. The police dog doesn’t pick up the scent until quite close to him. Do you understand why people say this doesn’t add up?”

At the inquest, Max Simpkins, counsel for Lachie’s father Paul Jones, accused Mr Scott of being involved in the toddler’s death and a witness claimed Mr Scott confessed that he threw the boy into the pond.

All allegations of foul play were vehemently denied.

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