Open Justice multimedia journalist, Palmerston North
Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter at the New Zealand Herald. Jeremy has a degree in communications and linguistics and a post-graduate diploma in journalism from Massey University. From there he cut his teeth at the Taranaki Daily News, before specialising in energy markets at Freeman Media and then onto Radio New Zealand to produce its flagship Morning Report show. He’s also worked on the other side of the fence for the police before seeing the light and returning to media to focus on telling crime and justice stories. Jeremy’s primary area of interest is in covering disciplinary tribunals which govern every profession we have in this country from vets to builders, lawyers to accountants and even jockeys. The Open Justice project has allowed him the time to go to these obscure hearings and uncover stories about lawyers stealing form their clients, realtors lying about the condition of the homes they’re selling and builders who cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and then skip the country. Jeremy is based in Manawatū and covers the district and higher courts in the area. You can contact Jeremy at jeremy.wilkinson@nzme.co.nz.
Child predator was fresh out of prison when he struck again, targeting 10 girls
Karl Salmon has a history of child sex offending. He now faces an indefinite prison term.
Teacher denied request to 'retire with dignity' after having sex with student
The woman was more recently teaching at one of the country's top private girls' schools.
Lawyer claims she took $200k of client funds to escape abusive relationship
'This is a story of a long shadow of domestic violence,' she told a disciplinary tribunal.
Babies for sale: Kiwis illegally paying Thai women to be surrogates
But they aren't spending enough time finding out if they can legally bring the baby home.
Former doctor and TVNZ presenter fined for claiming HIV doesn’t exist
The tribunal would have cancelled her registration if it hadn’t already done so.
'Misleading in the extreme': Former TVNZ presenter and doctor claims HIV doesn’t exist
Samantha Bailey also told people on YouTube that gonorrhoea was not sexually transmitted.
Woman charged $5.1m to track down former lover and stolen family fortune
He promised to invest the money but took it to Italy and disappeared.
Kiwi rapist avoids 501 deportation from Australia
Hoane Kahu raped a teen then went on to commit a raft of other offences.
Lawyer suspended after hiring serial conman who stole $330k from MoJ
Chris Tennet gave Brian Hunter a chance. He repaid him by stealing hundreds of thousands.
Rubbish site employee waived $111k worth of dump fees in exchange for beer
The customer did not pay to dump its rubbish on 71 occasions.
Doctor who drugged and secretly filmed med student allowed to keep working
The Medical Council want him suspended, but the High Court disagreed.
Pharmacist made $126k selling stolen medication on Trade Me
Jayant Patel was caught after his boss checked his CCTV and hired a private investigator.
Teacher pulled fingers and swore at students, made fun of kids with learning disabilities
Wendy Hopwood also ripped up students’ artwork and tore pages from their workbooks.
'You ran away:' Anger as teen sentenced for setting fatal fire that claimed woman's life
He was just 12-years-old when he lit a fire at the foot of the woman's bed in 2020.
Hydroponics retailer takes Reddit to court in bid to remove 'harmful' posts, unmask posters
They claim the posts threaten their family and are harmful to their business.
'Devious' lawyer used neighbour’s criminal history to try to get him evicted
A dispute over driveway access has ended in suspension for lawyer Nicholas Wintour.
‘Something out of a horror movie': Parole board describes man's abduction and sexual assault of jogger
Haydn Christy was jailed in 2016 for 12 years with an 8-year minimum non-parole period.
‘Let nature take its course': NZ woman wins court order that could let her starve to death
Doctors say the woman isn't physically ill, but psychologically believes that she is.
Fire and Emergency tried to sack firefighter for pooling allowances to buy groceries for team meals
Employment Relations Authority found Fire and Emergency breached employee's privacy.
Son loses legal battle over house bought with parents' savings
A man refused to hand over a house purchased in his name for his parents' retirement.
Pregnant beauty therapist awarded $100k after being made to quit
The woman said the employment issues robbed her of the joy of being pregnant.
Talent agency supporting Māori and Pasifika failed to pay model, then fired her
Ernestina Bonsu-Maru kept the money from one commission instead of paying her models.
'Fight for innocence' to continue as double murderer Lundy freed from jail
Life does not mean life in New Zealand in terms of never being released, his lawyer said.
‘Wrongheaded and reckless': Lawyer tried to act as her own secret witness
Lynette O'Boyle's secret witness turned out to be herself.
How one man's $80 speeding ticket spiralled into $34k and bankruptcy
Peter Prescott will now have more added to his debt after another failed attempt at court.
‘Bizarre’: Lawyer says he can't remember why he deceived client, forged court docs
Benjamin Wong's lawyer: 'It is difficult to conceive of an explanation that makes sense.'
'I refuse to remain silent': Former Hato Pāora College student speaks out as priest is jailed
Father Michael O'Donnell abused students, often targeting them at the tuck shop.
‘Disingenuous conduct’: Couple out of pocket after builder ran three years over schedule
Contractors had to be brought in to finish the job for an additional $130,000.
Sex offender recalled to prison after watching Sia music videos
Matthew Kelly was also caught communicating with another sex offender.
Siblings ‘devastated’ after property on-sells for $790k profit within 36 days of selling
They alleged the realtors had colluded to on-sell the property for a profit.
‘Deplorable’: Senior lawyer’s behaviour at Christmas party deemed ‘appalling and uncouth’
A tribunal has found the senior lawyer guilty of misconduct for his drunken antics.
'You’ve got a mental illness': Second video emerges of lawyer yelling at protesters
Paul Fisher has been filmed yelling at protesters in 2023 and 2025.
Law firms lose more than $2m to scammers posing as ANZ employees
'Why would I need to lie about my job?' one of the scammers asked NZME when confronted.
‘You anti-Semite racist pig': Lawyer videoed yelling at pro-Palestine protesters
'Shame on you,' lawyer Paul Fisher yelled repeatedly at the protesters.
‘I never thought I’d be believed:’ Man sexually assaulted teen he met on dating website
'You were an adult man preying on young boys.'
Doctor, ex-TVNZ presenter ordered to pay $148k for 'misleading' Covid-19 videos
Samantha Bailey posted Covid-19 misinformation to her YouTube channel.
‘Avoidable’: Coroner finds patient had the means and opportunity to end his life
Shaun Gray died in Palmerston North Hospital's Ward 21 which is 'not fit for purpose'.
GP practising again after having sex with vulnerable patient
Dr Salil Elias denied having sex with the woman but DNA testing proved otherwise.
Disgraced car dealer known for sending customers lewd photos owes $620k
Chris Schwartz has a penchant for sending disgruntled customers pictures of excrement.
Doctor gave student erectile dysfunction meds, told him it was for jetlag
The doctor was discharged without conviction, avoided suspension and kept his name secret.
Killer babysitter fearful of leaving prison, admits sabotaging own freedom chances
Tiana Kapea tortured and murdered 10-month-old Jyniah Te Awa.
'Genuinely thought he’d changed:' The lawyer, the conman and $333k in stolen legal aid
Lawyer Chris Tennet gave a conman a chance, but Brian Hunter hadn't really changed.
'Racist:' Man tries to take case against Apple Sales claiming his iPad’s voice function has an accent
Taiming Zhang has tried to sue a hotel and a restaurant. Now he's tried to take on Apple.
Teacher disguised himself, swapped drugs for oral sex with student
The girl didn't realise it was her teacher as his face was partially covered.
‘Peril to the public’: Lawyer allegedly falsified judge’s minute, court records
Ben Wong has been suspended while a tribunal investigates his conduct.
'You took a piece of me': Man still unable to explain why he raped pensioner
Peter Niko subjected the woman to a prolonged attack after tricking his way into her home.
Man with brain damage refused booze at Countdown supermarkets for looking drunk
Two Countdown stores refused Grant Pratt so he took them to the Human Rights Commission.
‘Golden ticket’: Father’s court battle to try to stop daughter attending top private school
Her mother wants her at St Cuth's and says not going is like spurning a 'golden ticket'.
Corrections psychologist and inmate’s love affair: ‘All I know is I want to be with you’
The senior professional wrote a treatment report for her lover to help him gain parole.
Jockey forges signature to withdraw brother’s race winnings
Ashvin Mudhoo needed the money to help with a new visa application.
'Meticulous' teen farm hand fatally electrocuted while installing fence
Jayden Disher was setting up a fence when the wire touched low-hanging powerlines.
‘Helpless screams’: Puppies beaten by owner with a fence paling
Crimson Toto beat his two puppies with a fence paling. One never recovered.
‘I’m disgusted at myself’: Teacher admits trying to buy ADHD meds from student
"I’ve been trying to get some black-market Ritalin or Concerta but haven’t had much luck."
‘I was ready to blow’: Man who murdered his girlfriend and lived with her corpse blames stress
Gordon Hieatt strangled Nuttidar Vaikaew to death in her Auckland apartment.
Intern says she was afraid to speak up after lawyer’s Xmas party antics
The senior partner allegedly made lewd comments and inappropriately touched other staff.
One of priest’s victims feigned appendicitis hoping to avoid boarding school abuse
Michael O'Donnell is the third Hato Pāora College staffer to be convicted of sex crimes.
'Not in any mood to forgive': Son of slain teacher says young killer shouldn't be released
Jameel Job broke into Barbara Julian's house and beat her to death.
Man takes case against hotel after Coke flavour isn’t available
Taiming Zhang wanted a Jack Daniels with Coke No Sugar but the hotel only had Coke Zero.
Lawyer used 'devious' conduct to obtain neighbour’s convictions in driveway stoush
He then presented the information to their property manager, and the neighbour's wife.
Disgraced car dealer sent customer photos of excrement & genitalia
The ex-dealer has had multiple rulings made against him by a vehicle disputes tribunal.
'Loss of dignity': Benefit fraudster wins compo for privacy breach during MSD investigation
Peter Thomas and his wife defrauded two agencies out of a combined $227,000.
Jailed Dilworth teacher dies days after compassionate release
Robert Wynward sexually abused eight young boys at the Auckland boarding school.
'Need for protection': Teen sportsman banned from competing to protect girl he abused
'She is entitled to be safe and to feel safe from having further contact with [him]'.
No consent: Landfill company ordered to pay $30k after post-cyclone slip
But the landowners have been left with a clean-up bill of almost $100,000.
'Subterfuge': Man awarded $60k after devices taken from desk during orchestrated meeting
Tribunal: It was 'manifestly unfair' and an 'unreasonable intrusion' into his affairs.
'If you don't have money, don't bother': One man's battle for justice over rent-free debacle
Neil Cameron's fight involved the Tenancy and Disputes Tribunals and the district court.
'Debtor is unable to pay:' One man’s two-year battle to reclaim $22k paid for work never done
'If they had the power this whole process could have been wrapped up fairly quickly.'
‘No progress’: Notorious rapist Roger Kahui declined parole
Roger Kahui refuses to see a psychologist or engage with rehab programmes behind bars.
‘Have a horrible holiday:’ Pet-sitter’s horrific message as couple watch dog die on CCTV
Judith Webby has a long history of upsetting flatmates, and home- and pet-owners.
Lawyer accused of improperly obtaining neighbour's convictions in driveway stoush
He then revealed the criminal history to a property manager during a mediation meeting.
Car dealer using Govt register to 'bully' former customers
Chris Schwartz has also been sending disgruntled customers pictures of excrement.
'Poor taste': Brown Nose Day trade mark rejected for bowel cancer fundraiser
Cure Kids objected over concerns it would be confused with Red Nose Day.
Police admit 77 min delay in attending Northland child double homicide was a mistake
A woman called police, 'hearing voices'. When they turned up, they'd been dead for hours.
'Sins of his father:' Courts rule if gay man who illegally paid Thai surrogate can adopt son
Judge: 'He has now been born, and as a result, has the right to grow and thrive'.
Builder made false insurance claim on $1.3m policy after build was damaged by heavy rain
He told the client he had taken out $2m in cover, but hadn't. Then it rained.
'I’m horribly ashamed': What did a lawyer spend $700k of his client’s money on?
Aaron Nicholls couldn't tell a tribunal exactly what he'd spent his client's money on.
Murderer finally reveals why he killed cat protection worker
Ashley Peach lured Kerry Downey to his home, then tied her up and strangled her to death.
Enraged butcher was chopping veges before using knives to stab wife to death
Peter Lamont will be released from prison and deported to Britain next year.
'F*** you': Man's human right's case thrown out after he sent abusive messages to courts, lawyer
Hone Puriri Harawira appeared to threaten the lawyer’s family in an abusive email.
'Who does that?' Car dealer pockets customer’s $15k refund, sends them pictures of poo
The couple didn't even get to drive their hybrid Nissan Skyline as a fault was discovered.