NSW police failed to take Christian Porter accuser’s statement

NSW Police passed up three opportunities to take a statement from the victim alleging sexual assault against former attorney-general Christian Porter.

Christian Porter.

NSW police passed up three opportunities to take a statement from the woman who alleged sexual assault by former attorney-general Christian Porter, new documents reveal.

A bundle of documents obtained by NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge and presented to the Legislative Council reveal NSW police detectives turned down an offer from their South Australian counterparts to take a statement last April, despite not notifying the alleged victim of the offer, and having previously flagged its possibility.

One month earlier, with detectives making preparations to visit South Australia on March 13, NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner David Hudson rejected an investigator’s request to travel, deeming the trip to be considered “non-essential” — despite being approved by the commander of the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes squad.

PDF: Extract from Strike Force Wyndarra document here.

“This application was submitted just prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus in Australia, and the subsequent introduction of strict restrictions for travel deemed to be non-essential by the NSW police,” the State Crime Command report said.

Police also rejected an attempt to take a statement via Skype, despite the alleged victim expressing “her desire to commence her statement as soon as possible by telephone or a Skype video call”.

While investigators advised her they would not take her statement via alternative means, the operational notes reveal both parties agreed to reassess the situation in a month’s time.

A statement was not ultimately taken because the victim killed herself last June. Mr Porter categorically denies the allegations that he raped the woman in Sydney in 1988.

On February 26 last year, with the alleged victim in Sydney visiting her lawyer and “happy to speak” with detectives, an email shows NSW police liaising with SA detectives, and even making an offer to pay for a later return flight for her to assist in taking her statement. The statement never eventuated as the alleged victim preferred detectives to visit her in South Australia to enable her to have a support person present. The investigation was formally closed on August 20.