New Zealand’s former Deputy Police Commissioner has pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual exploitation and bestiality material, and admitted circumventing police systems to view the vile illegal content.
Jevon McSkimming, 52, resigned suddenly as the country’s second most powerful cop in May, but the public were kept in the dark for two months due to a rare “superinjunction” before it was finally revealed that child abuse material had been found on his phone and he was facing eight charges
McSkimming pleaded guilty on Thursday to three charges of “possessing objectionable publications” – one for child exploitation material, one for bestiality material, and one overall charge, with five other charges withdrawn, Stuff reported.
The images viewed by McSkimming are too graphic to describe, but according to a summary of police facts he spoke to colleagues after he discovered he was being investigated, and told one “pornography” would be found on his laptop.
“He said that he had found a way around the normal police systems to look at porn, and that he grew up in a house where pornography was normal,” the facts stated.
“He also spoke with another colleague and said that over the years he had needed different types of pornography to make him feel anything and it just kept escalating.”
The investigation found he had consistently accessed hundreds of illegal images, some computer or AI-generated, over a period of 4.5 years until he was finally caught.
McSkimming, who was among the final two candidate for Commissioner in November last year but narrowly lost out to Richard Chambers, was released on bail and will be sentenced on December 17.
Commissioner Chambers described McSkimming’s conduct as “disgraceful” and sent it went “against the core values of police”.
“I will not allow this to tarnish my staff, who are as appalled by this as I am. This shameful episode has done their dedication an immense disservice,” he said in a statement.
“From the moment I was advised about these circumstances, I have taken it seriously and acted on it.
As soon as I was made aware of the nature of the material found, I raised it with the Minister of Police as a conduct matter to allow him to consider Mr McSkimming’s position at the time as a statutory deputy commissioner. Mr McSkimming subsequently resigned from Police. This conduct has no place in Police.”
Shortly after his resignation McSkimming starting selling up properties he owns jointly with his wife, listing a Wellington region home worth about $2 million, selling another after inviting offers of over $715,000, and putting a third on the market for $595,000.
McSkimming was appointed Deputy Commissioner by former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins when the role became statuatory in 2023, even though redacted documents hint he was aware of allegations against McSkimming that New Zealand media were already aware of.
The Public Service Commission noted McSkimming had a “relatively unique career path within New Zealand Police”, having ascended to the role without having been a detective and with almost no investigative experience under former Police Commissioner Andy Coster.
Coster’s predecessor Mike Bush was recently appointed Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police.
Header image: Jevon McSkimming.
