Police constable charged over taxi incident

File photo / NZ Herald

A 43-year-old police constable has been charged with using offensive language in relation to an incident in a Queenstown taxi in November.

The constable will appear in Queenstown District Court on March 18, police acting area commander Inspector Andrew Burns said.

The officer is on leave without pay.

Police said no further comment would be made as the matter is before the courts.

Constable Jenny McNee has been identified as the officer at the centre of a complaint by a Queenstown taxi driver, in relation to a dispute over a fare.

The driver alleged McNee verbally abused him and grabbed him after dropping her and her husband at their Lake Hayes Estate home on November 3.

The managing director of Queenstown Taxis, Grant Scannell, criticised the long delay in resolving the complaint.

"If it was Joe Public, it would have been before the courts and investigated well and truly before now."

Mr Burns said yesterday the investigation had been delayed by the summer holiday.