Karen Webb facing fresh LECC investigation over gin purchase

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has reopened its investigation after secret documents revealed new details about the ‘Commissioner’s Gin’ affair.

The police watchdog has reopened its investigation into the “Commissioner’s Gin” saga, after bombshell revelations were unearthed in a trove of secret emails.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal that the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) is investigating “further issues” relating to Police Commissioner Karen Webb spending thousands of dollars on gin which was handed out as gifts.

While the LECC originally cleared Ms Webb of breaking the rules in purchasing gin from her long-time friend Michael Hope’s distillery, the watchdog only investigated Ms Webb’s original purchase of 50 gin bottles.

The LECC did not speak with Mr Hope as part of its investigation.

Since that investigation, dubbed Operation Askern, NSW Police discovered that another 50 bottles had been delivered to the Police Commissioner’s office.

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has reopened its investigation into the ‘Commissioner’s Gin’ affair. Picture: Monique Harmer

Following the LECC’s findings being tabled to parliament, The Telegraph revealed that Ms Webb gave two bottles of gin to bosses of a PR company, in exchange for private media training that she undertook while running to be the state’s top cop.

Internal emails released under an order of parliament also revealed that Ms Webb’s office was warned not to go ahead with the purchase.

Karen Webb with DEC PR founder Agata Kenna on her right at a Women’s Day function. Picture: Instagram

Ms Webb has maintained that she did not know the gin was being procured from her long-term friend until after the purchase was made.

That is despite internal emails, released under an order of parliament, which indicated Ms Webb was involved in the process months before any purchase was made.

The fresh LECC investigation can be revealed following an “official complaint” lodged by independent MP Rod Roberts last month.

“It is my concern that the LECC may not have been appraised of all available information at the time of your investigation,” Mr Roberts wrote to Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson.

Mr Roberts referred to documents tabled to parliament, which he said “reveal the Commissioner’s involvement in arranging the purchase of the gin from her friend Michael Hope of Hope Estate”.

“I suggest that this information warrants the LECC to reinvestigate the matter considering the new documents,” he said.

Taxpayers paid thousands of dollars to create special labels for the Commissioner’s Gin. Picture: Supplied

In response, the LECC Commissioner said the documents were being investigated as part of a reopened investigation.

“The commission is already investigating further issues relating to the purchase of gin under Operation Askern. Your complaint will be dealt with as part of that investigation,” Mr Johnson wrote to Mr Roberts.

The LECC remained tight-lipped on its investigation on Friday, but confirmed an investigation was under way.

“As the commission’s investigation is ongoing, the commission will make no comments concerning the matter,” a spokesman said.

Ms Webb has previously insisted that she did nothing wrong by gifting two taxpayer-funded bottles of to PR executives who she had engaged for media training.

She has refused to reveal when she created a register showing the recipients of the gin.

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