Two a penny

.

A newborn girl died after a lab test result revealing a deadly but treatable infection went missing at Wellington Hospital.

The mother complained about the midwife and being pressured to leave hospital early, but the health and disability commissioner ruled that it was the missing lab test that led to the baby’s death. Her first-time mother was discharged about five hours after the birth.

The girl died at home in November 2007, less than 20 hours after her birth at Wellington Hospital.

That policy did not apply to first-time mothers, and was not in effect at the time of the birth, but was a symptom of the pressure the maternity ward was under at the time.

The birth happened as Capital and Coast District Health Board was issuing a memo encouraging midwives to discharge mothers within six hours of giving birth.

The mother said this week: “I can’t say my baby would definitely be OK [if she had stayed] but under professional care I believe she would have had a better chance.

The couple later complained to the commissioner about the standard of care provided by the independent midwife, saying they had felt pushed to leave hospital early. How could I know what is the normal temperature?”

In a decision the previous month, commissioner Ron Paterson said it seemed a “striking coincidence” that the case happened as Capital and Coast issued its early discharge memo. At home I always felt she was cold, but it was my first baby.”

The report is not public but The obtained a copy. “I have no doubt that you felt pressured to leave the hospital. “I find it very difficult to put this statement into the baby’s box,” the mother said.

The parents are angry with the commissioner’s decision, which they do not think is impartial.”

The commissioner found the midwife provided “appropriate care”, although he identified communication and information problems. “I feel it’s an insult to her, it’s not based on much truth, it’s not really listening to me.

“This systems error, rather than the actions of [the midwife], is the true cause of [the baby's] death.

He said the death was caused by the failure to provide antibiotics to treat the infection evident in a swab result that had gone missing. Penicillin was recommended during childbirth.”

The missing test, which the midwife had ordered two days earlier, showed the mother had group B streptococcus bacteria. She did a second swab but those results were not available until after the baby’s death. But when the midwife asked for the test result on the day of birth, it could not be found. “What’s the point of having a second swab on the day of the baby’s birth?”

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

An autopsy found the cause of death was pneumonia and persistent pulmonary hypertension (when a baby’s body does not adapt to breathing outside the womb). .

In a letter to Capital and Coast, Mr Paterson said he was satisfied the DHB had made “necessary improvements”.

In a letter to Capital and Coast, Mr Paterson said he was satisfied the DHB had made “necessary improvements”. But he has made extra recommendations and asked it to report by the end of this month.

Capital and Coast women’s health clinical director John Tait said the DHB had taken “significant steps” to address the issues raised by the “tragic event”. It invited the family to meet “to express our sincere apologies and discuss the improvements made in our systems”.

.

The FBI is investigating the leaking of a copy of Hugh Jackman’s new film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was partly shot in New Zealand.

A high-quality work print has surfaced on internet file-sharing websites almost a month before its cinema release, and hundreds of thousands of people have already downloaded it.

The copy is an incomplete print, minus special effects and additional scenes, and 20th Century Fox is vowing to track down and prosecute the source of the leak.

“The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it,” the company said in a statement.

“The FBI and Motion Pictures Association of America are also actively investigating the crime. The courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts.”

According to a BBC report, the name of an Australian visual effects company, Rising Sun Pictures, appears on the print.

Rising Sun Pictures and Fox said they could not comment on the report while the incident was under investigation.

The company, which has worked on films like Australia and Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, produced key effects sequences in the Wolverine.

Jackman and 20th Century Fox are due to unveil “world exclusive” finished footage from the film at a press conference in Sydney next week.

The leak comes almost a month before the movie’s Australian and UK release on April 29, and the May 1 release date in the US.

It was partly shot in the South Island with film crew, including Jackman, based in Queenstown for around four month early last year.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine sees Jackman return to the role of the clawed mutant and follows his quest for revenge after his girlfriend is murdered.

Jackman was snapped enjoying a Shotover Jet river ride.

Jackman was snapped enjoying a Shotover Jet river ride.i.

The film, directed by Gavin Hood, also stars Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds and Will.

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

It is not the first time a highly anticipated film has been leaked ahead of its release.am.

– AAP

.

.

Thousands of Kiwi kids continue to be taken from their families each year and put into Child, Youth and Family (CYF) care.

Figures released to under the Official Information Act show as of December 2008, 4643 children and teens were in the care of the government agency.

Of the youngsters taken by CYF, 66 were at-risk babies less then one month old, and 15 were removed from their parents on the day they were born.

Of those, 584 were aged under two, 713 from two to four, 1276 five to nine, 1134 aged 10-13, 903 were from 14-16 and 33 aged 17-19.

Ministry of Social Development which includes CYF chief executive Peter Hughes said the organisation didn’t make the decision to take children from their parents lightly.

The number of custody orders involving newborns has more than doubled in the past five years.

CYF took into account the “strengths of the parents and family” and what support was available to them in the community, he said.

“Safety is the paramount consideration, and the decision to remove a child is not made in isolation,” Hughes said.

Hughes said “some” Kiwi kids were in the agency’s care by agreement with their parents or guardians, while others were compelled to be there by court orders.

But often “there are circumstances when placing supports around the family is not sufficient to ensure the child’s safety and alternative action is required”.

Hughes said about 40 percent of those in the agency’s care had been placed with extended family or whanau members.

A number of those aged 14-17 were held in CYF custody while they were being dealt with by the Youth Court.

He said CYF did what it could to maintain family relationships but conceded “despite our best efforts not everyone will be happy with the decisions we make”.

“The vast majority of children and young people in Child, Youth and Family care are living in home environments and are free to come and go like other children cared for by family members,” Hughes said. Up to June 30, 2008, 4831 children were in CYF care 472 less than the previous year and 558 less than in the 2005/2006 financial year.

The total number of children in CYF care has decreased over the past few years.

Nor could they say how many times they’d apologised to parents for the behaviour of their staff or how many complaints they had received.

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

CYF said they couldn’t tell how many children and youths it had returned to parents because their removal had been unjustified.

But he said CYF was aware there is “public interest” in that information and had made “improvements” that will allow the department to “supply this information in the future”.

Hughes said that information was “held on individual files” and would take a considerable amount of time to collate.

Recent complaints against CYF include one highlighted by in February involving 12-year-old Krystal Repia who was found dead in the service’s care in 2008.

CYF had launched a new complaints process which “establishes a consistent and robust nationwide process for managing complaints”, he said.

During the 2008 financial year and for the first two quarters of the 2009 financial year, one person had escaped from a CYF centre and six while in transit to one.

CYF was also unable to say how many children or youths escaped from its care, although they could say how many escaped from the seven CYF centres.

Meanwhile, figures released by the Department of Corrections show that during the last five years 49 babies have been cared for by their locked-up mothers.

Meanwhile, figures released by the Department of Corrections show that during the last five years 49 babies have been cared for by their locked-up mothers.

At present, only two babies are being cared for behind bars one at Christchurch Women’s Prison aged six months and another at Auckland Region Women’s Correctional Facility aged eight months.

In September last year The Corrections (Mothers with Babies) Amendment Act was passed to allow children of jailed mothers to be cared for until they are two years old. .

Before that only minimum security mothers could raise their children while imprisoned and only until they were six months old.

The new Act has not yet come into force because Corrections are awaiting funding for “additional facilities to be developed in order to accommodate toddlers”.

– Sponsored links –
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK1′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK1′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK2′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK2′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK3′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK3′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK4′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK4′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK5′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK5′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK6′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK6′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK7′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK7′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK8′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK8′);

– Next National story: –
Weekend road toll rises to six

– National Homepage -

.

Thousands of Kiwi kids continue to be taken from their families each year and put into Child, Youth and Family (CYF) care.

Figures released to under the Official Information Act show as of December 2008, 4643 children and teens were in the care of the government agency.

Of the youngsters taken by CYF, 66 were at-risk babies less then one month old, and 15 were removed from their parents on the day they were born.

Of those, 584 were aged under two, 713 from two to four, 1276 five to nine, 1134 aged 10-13, 903 were from 14-16 and 33 aged 17-19.

Ministry of Social Development which includes CYF chief executive Peter Hughes said the organisation didn’t make the decision to take children from their parents lightly.

The number of custody orders involving newborns has more than doubled in the past five years.

CYF took into account the “strengths of the parents and family” and what support was available to them in the community, he said.

“Safety is the paramount consideration, and the decision to remove a child is not made in isolation,” Hughes said.

Hughes said “some” Kiwi kids were in the agency’s care by agreement with their parents or guardians, while others were compelled to be there by court orders.

But often “there are circumstances when placing supports around the family is not sufficient to ensure the child’s safety and alternative action is required”.

Hughes said about 40 percent of those in the agency’s care had been placed with extended family or whanau members.

A number of those aged 14-17 were held in CYF custody while they were being dealt with by the Youth Court.

He said CYF did what it could to maintain family relationships but conceded “despite our best efforts not everyone will be happy with the decisions we make”.

“The vast majority of children and young people in Child, Youth and Family care are living in home environments and are free to come and go like other children cared for by family members,” Hughes said. Up to June 30, 2008, 4831 children were in CYF care 472 less than the previous year and 558 less than in the 2005/2006 financial year.

The total number of children in CYF care has decreased over the past few years.

Nor could they say how many times they’d apologised to parents for the behaviour of their staff or how many complaints they had received.

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

CYF said they couldn’t tell how many children and youths it had returned to parents because their removal had been unjustified.

But he said CYF was aware there is “public interest” in that information and had made “improvements” that will allow the department to “supply this information in the future”.

Hughes said that information was “held on individual files” and would take a considerable amount of time to collate.

Recent complaints against CYF include one highlighted by in February involving 12-year-old Krystal Repia who was found dead in the service’s care in 2008.

CYF had launched a new complaints process which “establishes a consistent and robust nationwide process for managing complaints”, he said.

During the 2008 financial year and for the first two quarters of the 2009 financial year, one person had escaped from a CYF centre and six while in transit to one.

CYF was also unable to say how many children or youths escaped from its care, although they could say how many escaped from the seven CYF centres.

Meanwhile, figures released by the Department of Corrections show that during the last five years 49 babies have been cared for by their locked-up mothers.

Meanwhile, figures released by the Department of Corrections show that during the last five years 49 babies have been cared for by their locked-up mothers.

At present, only two babies are being cared for behind bars one at Christchurch Women’s Prison aged six months and another at Auckland Region Women’s Correctional Facility aged eight months.

In September last year The Corrections (Mothers with Babies) Amendment Act was passed to allow children of jailed mothers to be cared for until they are two years old. .

Before that only minimum security mothers could raise their children while imprisoned and only until they were six months old.

The new Act has not yet come into force because Corrections are awaiting funding for “additional facilities to be developed in order to accommodate toddlers”.

– Sponsored links –
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK1′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK1′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK2′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK2′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK3′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK3′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK4′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK4′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK5′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK5′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK6′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK6′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK7′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK7′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK8′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK8′);

– Next National story: –
Weekend road toll rises to six

– National Homepage -

.

The Crown has ruled out taking any action over changes made to character references for disgraced broadcaster Tony Veitch before they were submitted to the judge in his recent assault case.

Olympic chef de mission Dave Currie and squash champion Dame Susan Devoy provided testimonials to Veitch, believing they would be used in an application to get his passport back.
Veitch was fined $10,000, ordered to do 300 hours community work, and placed on supervision for nine months.
They expressed surprise that they were altered and used as character reference when Veitch pleaded guilty in Auckland District Court to assaulting Kristin Dunne-Powell with reckless disregard for her safety.
A spokeswoman for Solicitor-General David Collins QC confirmed yesterday that no contempt of court complaint had been laid and the matter would not be investigated. .
Police earlier ruled out any investigation without a formal complaint.
“Nothing has been referred to us, we won’t be doing anything,” she told The New Zealand Herald.
–

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

– Sponsored links –
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK1′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK1′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK2′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK2′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK3′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK3′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK4′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK4′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK5′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK5′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK6′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK6′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK7′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK7′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK8′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK8′);

– Next Crime story: –
Elderly shoplifter granted diversion

– National Homepage -

.

The Crown has ruled out taking any action over changes made to character references for disgraced broadcaster Tony Veitch before they were submitted to the judge in his recent assault case.

Olympic chef de mission Dave Currie and squash champion Dame Susan Devoy provided testimonials to Veitch, believing they would be used in an application to get his passport back.
Veitch was fined $10,000, ordered to do 300 hours community work, and placed on supervision for nine months.
They expressed surprise that they were altered and used as character reference when Veitch pleaded guilty in Auckland District Court to assaulting Kristin Dunne-Powell with reckless disregard for her safety.
A spokeswoman for Solicitor-General David Collins QC confirmed yesterday that no contempt of court complaint had been laid and the matter would not be investigated. .
Police earlier ruled out any investigation without a formal complaint.
“Nothing has been referred to us, we won’t be doing anything,” she told The New Zealand Herald.
–

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

– Sponsored links –
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK1′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK1′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK2′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK2′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK3′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK3′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK4′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK4′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK5′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK5′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK6′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK6′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK7′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK7′);
add_batch_ad(‘adSPONSOREDLINK8′, ’310x16_SPONSOREDLINK’,'SPONSOREDLINK8′);

– Next Crime story: –
Elderly shoplifter granted diversion

– National Homepage -

.
It’s fiesta time rain or shine

Saturday, 21 February 2009

STREET LIFE: Dancers, from left, Anita Hunziker, Sarah Knox and Francis Christeller prepare for the Cuba Street Carnival.

Cuba Street Carnival turns ten

New Zealand'sbiggest street party kicks off today, with 150,000 revellers expected to flood Wellington city for the Cuba Street Carnival.
Even yesterday's deluge couldn't dampen spirits ahead of the festivities.
Carnival spokeswoman Bridget Van Der Zijpp said that, despite a rain-soaked event in 2004, the crowds had still flocked to Cuba St. A cleanup after the downpour meant plans for the giant fiesta were still on track, starting about 11am. It's New Zealand's biggest street party. "We go ahead rain or shine."
The main stage in Cuba St and other stages in the city will feature 80 bands and DJs throughout the day.
Batucada drummers and samba dancers will bring a taste of Brazil to the capital later tonight.
Then the party will heat up with a massive street parade, winding its way from the Cambridge Tce end of Courtenay Place into Taranaki St and finishing in Ghuznee St. "Come early.
Ms Van Der Zijpp said "parade fluffers" would entertain festival-goers along the parade route from 8pm."

.

.
Tramper rescued from perch in Fiordland

Saturday, 07 February 2009

An tramper who fell down a bluff and was perched precariously above a steep drop has been winched to safety in a dramatic helicopter rescue in Fiordland.
Scott Pauley, originally from Dunedin but now living in Sydney, said he was "very lucky to be alive" after he became separated from his walking companion and fell down a 20m chute, near Lake Roe in Fiordland National Park about 10.30am.
The ledge was the last safety point before a vertical fall, which Mr Pauley estimated could have been up to 100m, he told from Te Anau tonight.
He fortunately managed to stop himself on a tiny ledge, which was only just big enough for him to sit on if he crunched into a ball.
"I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for the fact I had the beacon on me.
He activated his Personal Emergency Locator Beacon, which was detected by a satellite, and opened out his bright yellow pack liner so he could be seen more easily. Where I was you couldn't see me because I was deep in the crevice.
"I had an overwhelming desire to see my family and girlfriend. .
It was a very difficult manoeuvre by swinging a rescuer on a long line from the Southern Lakes rescue helicopter and carefully winching him back to safety, said National Rescue Coordination Centre Mission Controller Keith Allen."
He was picked up by the helicopter about 2pm .
Mr Hayes said that it was the worst position he had ever been required to recover a live person from.
Mr Pauley said he was told that it was a highly technical rescue, and if the experienced pilot Richard "Hannibal" Hayes had not been on duty it would have been another day and a half before an abseiling team could have got to him.
Surprisingly Mr Pauley suffered no injuries apart from scrapes and bruises.
Surprisingly Mr Pauley suffered no injuries apart from scrapes and bruises.
"I am having a beer and celebrating that I am alive.
Tonight he said he felt it probably hadn't sunk how close he had come to death."

.
Victim may not walk again

Wednesday, 04 February 2009

/
DANGEROUS SHORTCUT: Tony Krauskopf outside the Mount Vic bus tunnel where his Father, Earl Krauskopf, inset, was hit by a car. His dad had always told him not to walk through.’

The man seriously hurt in a hit-and-run in Wellington's Hataitai bus tunnel had told his son to never use the dangerous shortcut. ‘I don’t know why he was in there. .
Earl Krauskopf, 41, may never walk again, son Tony said. He must have just been in a hurry to get home. I don't know why he was in there. After celebrating a record week's takings, he was found lying in the bus tunnel at 4am on Saturday, having been struck by a vehicle."
Earl Krauskopf opened NYC Cafe in central Wellington just two months ago. He is in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital.
He suffered a badly broken pelvis, dislocated hip, nerve damage, a broken knee and broken hand, among other injuries. "There was no crushing like he had been run over.
Tony Krauskopf, 18, said that, from his father's injuries, it seemed the car might have hit him and stopped, before driving off."
He has taken over the cafe till his father leaves hospital, which could be months. Who would drive off after doing a thing like that? It's machine-like. I've got to do it for the old man. "So I'm 18 and I'm running a business." His father had briefly regained consciousness, and had no head injuries. I don't want him to come out and be in debt.
Wellington City Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said the bumps were replaced early yesterday.
Locals say boy racers had been speeding through the bus tunnel since speed bumps were removed during resealing work two weeks ago. There was also the question of who would be responsible for locking them.
Barrier arms were an option to control movement through the tunnel, but had not been costed.
She said the Mt Victoria Tunnel was "a dog" for pedestrians, which encouraged people to risk the bus tunnel.
She said the Mt Victoria Tunnel was "a dog" for pedestrians, which encouraged people to risk the bus tunnel.
Police have sent items of Mr Krauskopf's clothing for forensic testing. Detective Sergeant Dave Thornton said the car would be damaged and asked for anyone with information to contact them.
It was "hard to imagine" the driver had not realised he had hit someone.

.
20-year crusade puts rapist behind bars

– Sunday, 21 December 2008

Michael Taylor can still remember the scene examination he carried out in St Albans, Christchurch, on February 4, 1988.
The forensic scientist, who worked for what was then the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, was called to a flat where a 27-year-old woman had been brutally attacked two days earlier. "There are some I remember more than others," says 55-year-old Taylor, a science leader at Environmental Science and Research.
A prowler, wearing a stocking on his head, had woken the woman at knifepoint in her bed, lashed her to a dining table and raped her."
DNA forensics was in its infancy in New Zealand, and biological samples taken from the scene yielded insufficient DNA to be of use. "It was a particularly nasty attack.
But Taylor's analysis found that while the pattern of the prints matched the suspect's shoes, the size was different. The hunt for the attacker focused on shoeprints inside and outside the house, which a report rendered to police by a photographer linked to their main suspect. "I guess being human and putting a lot of work into the case, the police would have been disappointed," says Taylor, reluctant to acknowledge the flak. Police accepted its findings and eliminated the suspect, and the investigation eventually stalled, but not before Taylor copped criticism for his dissenting report, according to sources. The analysis vindicated the decision to exclude the initial suspect, as his sample did not match the one from the scene.
It was 12 years until progress was made, when Taylor reviewed the cold case using a new technique which amplified DNA samples previously considered too small to analyse. The attacker had pushed his way into the council flat of the 90-year-old victim, telling her he was her grandson.
More significantly, it revealed that the attacker was also responsible for an unsolved rape in the Christchurch suburb of Shirley in April 1996.
The link between the two serious attacks gave the inquiry renewed impetus, but inquiries failed to make any progress. The woman died three years later.
The breakthrough would come seven years later, when police suggested the two linked rapes were ideal candidates for familial DNA testing, a new technique ESR had made available. . They came up with two hits, including Kevin Moana Jarden, a convicted rapist who was sentenced to preventive detention in 2004 for sexual crimes involving young girls. ESR searched its DNA database for close to-perfect matches to the scene samples, looking for people who might be closely related to the offender. Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Wormald, the officer in charge of the investigation, was "elated".
His brother, Wayne Robert Jarden, had been spoken to by police even had his footwear tested during the initial 1988 investigation. After initially denying the rapes, Jarden, a 50-year-old labourer with previous convictions, pleaded guilty on Monday.
But a sample was still needed from Wayne Jarden, and police placed him under surveillance to obtain it, eventually retrieving a cigarette butt he discarded outside an Auckland takeaway shop in November last year.
Wormald said the long-awaited result was a credit to the "synergy of thought and mind" between police and ESR.
Wormald said the long-awaited result was a credit to the "synergy of thought and mind" between police and ESR. "It's about keeping in touch with what each other are doing. The skill that ESR applies to the evidence that's gathered is remarkable." Taylor, for his part, points out that ESR "only has a small part to play in a police investigation".
Arie Geursen, the scientist who first raised concerns about DNA tests which helped keep David Dougherty in prison for a rape he did not commit, said Taylor deserved credit "for tenaciously keeping an eye on the case" and resubmitting the samples when technological advances were made.
"He's to be congratulated for sticking to his guns that the person who was in the frame, and remained in the frame for some time his shoes couldn't match."
Wormald said he was "looking forward with interest" to see if testing Jarden's DNA profile would link him to other unsolved crimes.
Taylor does not keep count of the criminals he has helped put behind bars during 29 years with ESR, a period over which the forensic tools at his disposal have changed dramatically.
"That's not my focus," he says. His emphasis is on "delivering science of value", and bringing closure to victims, and it's work he draws great satisfaction from.
"The number of days I've not looked forward to going to work I can count on the fingers of one hand."