Kiri Allan crash: Then-Justice Minister claimed charges were a ‘political stunt’ and that she wrote the law, say new police documents

Police say Kiri Allan verbally abused officers who were arresting her after she crashed her car while over the drink-driving limit, with the former Justice Minister claiming she wrote the law and slating charges against her as a “political stunt”.

Newly-released documents from police claim Allan refused to accept a court summons after being detained and said that she wouldn’t leave the station until the court summons “disappeared” on the night in question in July 2023.

The documents also claim that Allan “grabbed hold of shrubbery” to avoid being moved to a police car at the crash scene.

Allan was driving on a wet Evans Bay Parade about 9pm when the car she was in “veered to the left-hand side of the road and collided with a parked vehicle”, causing “extensive damage” to both cars.

The disgraced ex-Labour politician was sentenced last year on a charge of refusing to go with police at the scene after insisting she should be allowed to speak to her lawyer before being put into a police car.

She was arrested and taken to the police cells after the incident but it took more than an hour for her to undergo an evidential breath test.

Allan, who resigned her portfolios and left politics after the incident, was fined for drink driving, but did not provide a reading above the level that attracts a criminal charge.

The Herald last year made an Official Information Act request for a copy of the police file into the case, but complained to the Ombudsman upon discovering the file had been heavily redacted, arguing that cases involving elected politicians should be as transparent as possible.

Kiri Allan crashed into a parked car on Evans Bay Parade in Roseneath, Wellington.

The Herald asked for the investigation to be narrowed to redacted information concerning Allan’s behaviour and actions towards police, and any information and reasons for the delay in Allan’s breath alcohol test.

The Ombudsman found the information could normally be withheld under a section of the Official Information Act that protects the privacy of natural persons, but that public interest considerations meant the information should have been released regardless.

In the interests of quick resolution, the Herald agreed to the police releasing a summary of the information, which the Ombudsman recommended last month.

Redactions to police statements on Kiri Allan's file conceal what her words and actions were after being placed under arrest.

The summary says that Allan - according to the police account - repeatedly asked to speak to a lawyer.

“Ms Allan was repeatedly warned and provided opportunity to accompany police officers for the purposes of evidential testing procedures,” the summary said.

“She did not comply with police officers’ requests to walk to the patrol vehicle. Police officers arrested Ms Allan for refusing to accompany an enforcement officer at approximately 9.42pm and handcuffed her. Ms Allan was verbally abusive towards police officers. She became physically inactive and physically resistant, and grabbed hold of shrubbery to avoid being moved to the patrol vehicle,” it said.

The summary also delves into more details of officers’ version of events while Allan was at Wellington Central Police Station.

“When Ms Allan was served the court summons, she became argumentative and yelled at police officers,” the summary said.

“She demanded to speak to senior police officers and Police National Headquarters and said that she would not leave the police station until the court summons ‘disappeared’. Ms Allan told police officers that they were making ‘undercutting moves’ and that the charging decision was a ‘political stunt’. She refused to accept the court summons document served on her”.

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.