Police followed wrong trail

WELLINGTON - Top police officers thought Gavin Dash might have killed himself over poor exam results, a report on the bungled investigation shows.

But it has since emerged that Mr Dash, missing since September, achieved poor results in university examinations because he was not there to sit them; he had already disappeared. The missing law student excelled at exams the previous semester.

The end-of-year exams were held between October 22 and November 12. Mr Dash was last seen on September 27.

He was reported missing a week later but the police inquiry remained largely a one-man-band until family concerns prompted an upgrade last month. His family live in the Auckland area.

A review of the early investigation - carried out by field crime manager Detective Inspector Stu Wildon and obtained under the Official Information Act - found a number of high-ranking police were aware of the case.

They included the Wellington Criminal Investigation Bureau chief, Detective Inspector Brett Kane, CIB supervisor Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Chatt and Wellington area manager Inspector Marty Grenfell.

"According to Mr Kane and Detective Senior Sergeant Chatt, there was in those early stages some suggestion that Dash's disappearance may be a suicide, based possibly on the stress of university study and examination results," Mr Wildon says in his report.

"Subsequent inquiries, however, did not support this."

Early in the investigation, Detective Bruce MacKay carried out most inquiries single-handedly.

His supervisor, Detective Senior Sergeant Chatt, discussed the case with Mr Wildon in mid-October and was asked to ensure certain inquiries were made.

The file was then expected to be forwarded, via Mr Grenfell, to Mr Wildon for review and assessment.

However, it was not forwarded, which was blamed on the early suggestion of suicide, a skeleton staff and a cost-cutting focus.

Mr Wildon acknowledges that Wellington police were in a transition stage and the CIB was under-strength. But an earlier assessment of the case was required.

Detective MacKay's work should not be criticised and there were no immediate clues to explain the disappearance.

"What was certain, however, was that the disappearance was totally out of character and for that reason alone there was cause for suspicion."

- NZPA