Police investigate malicious calls to Benson-Pope

Police are investigating offensive and malicious phone calls made to the home of beleaguered cabinet minister David Benson-Pope.

The calls were made to the Social Development Minister's Dunedin home and were answered by his wife Jan Flood and 15-year-old daughter Samantha.

Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross of Dunedin police said police were investigating the calls.

Mr Benson-Pope told the Otago Daily Times the calls on Monday night contained offensive language and swearing and seemed to be made by the same person.

He was in Wellington at the time, and said his family were extremely upset by the highly offensive calls.

"My wife had to deal with the whole thing on her own (because) I was not actually there," he told the newspaper.

Ms Flood immediately contacted police who quickly attended.

Mr Benson-Pope said he believed police had spoken to the caller yesterday, who was understood to be from Auckland.

In recent weeks Mr Benson-Pope has come under fire for his handling of allegations made against him by former pupils about incidents during his time as a secondary school teacher.

- NZPA