The doctor accused of helping a convicted rapist smuggle sperm out of Rimutaka prison has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
The Department of Corrections launched an investigation two weeks ago after it was revealed Peter McNamara's partner Joanne Percy had given birth at Tauranga Hospital in January.
The
convicted rapist, who was granted leave from prison for the birth, initially told officials a prison-contracted doctor had helped smuggle his sperm out of prison.
This week a lawyer acting for the doctor wrote to media and Corrections saying his client had "absolutely nothing to do with it and had no knowledge of it whatsoever".
Yesterday the doctor was cleared of any wrongdoing and an apology was made by Corrections for any distress the allegations might have caused.
"We have reached a stage in the investigation where we can rule out any wrongdoing by the doctors or any unprofessional conduct on their part," said Susan Provan, assistant general manager for Corrections Corporate Development.
"The investigation is continuing, but Mr McNamara has now retracted his accusation regarding the actions of a doctor. We regret any personal distress that the prisoner's allegations may have caused."
Two weeks ago Corrections said: "We understand from the prisoner that arrangements were made through the contracted medical practitioner at the prison for a sample to be taken. As such these arrangements were subject to patient confidentiality and therefore the prison was not consulted or advised."
Officials still do not know how the sperm was taken out of the prison.
It is understood McNamara did not leave the prison for any reason around the time the baby would have been conceived. That leaves the option that someone else smuggled the sperm out, he was allowed a conjugal visit with his partner in prison, or that he is not the father of the child.
It is not clear if part of the investigation will include tests to see if McNamara, who is serving seven years for the rape of a 20-year-old in Mt Maunganui in 1989, is in fact the father.
The doctor's lawyer had no comment to make last night saying Corrections' latest statement spoke for itself.
