Criminal negligence charges should still be laid against those responsible for the collapse of the Cave Creek platform in 1995, which killed 14 people, the investigating detective says.
Former Detective Inspector Kevin Burrowes said he was staggered that police had lost his report recommending that charges be laid against Department of
Conservation staff responsible for the platform.
Thirteen Tai Poutini Polytechnic students and a DoC worker died in the West Coast tragedy on April 28, 1995.
But police have lost Mr Burrowes' report recommending charges be laid.
Police legal adviser Ian McArthur said he could not find the report.
"I am disappointed to say that it appears that the report you seek has been removed from the file," he said.
Mr Burrowes said there was no reason police could still not go ahead with a prosecution.
"It's not a matter of targeting people. It's just about justice being done.
"The commission of inquiry ruled that was the end of it - it was just systemic failure. But I can't see why it should be the end if a criminal offence has been committed."
Mr Burrowes said there was a "definite" case for criminal negligence against several DoC staff responsible for building and attaching the viewing platform, which overlooked a chasm at Cave Creek, inland from the tourist spot of Punakaiki.
Inquiry commissioner Judge Graeme Noble found that DoC, not its staff, had acted unlawfully.
But Mr Burrowes said individuals should be held accountable.
"There should be charges laid because an offence was committed, irrespective of what Graeme Noble said in that inquiry.
"I don't hold with what he said. It's nonsense what he said about nobody should be blamed."
Eighteen people plunged 30m to the cavern floor when the Paparoa National Park platform collapsed.
Mr Burrowes said several DoC people held key roles that led to the platform collapse.
Judge Noble said in his inquiry report that it would be inappropriate to point the finger of blame at anyone.
"Not one of the individuals concerned was ever aware of the appropriate standards to be met."
Mr Burrowes said he could not understand why his 1995 report was lost or had been removed from the file.
He sent the report to Mr McArthur for his opinion.
Mr McArthur, he said, supported the recommendation to prosecute.
Despite the disappearance of the report, Mr Burrowes said there was no reason charges could still not be laid, because there was no time limit under the Crimes Act.
A spokesman for the Cave Creek families, Harry Pawsey, declined to comment on the issue.
Criminal negligence charges should still be laid against those responsible for the collapse of the Cave Creek platform in 1995, which killed 14 people, the investigating detective says.
Former Detective Inspector Kevin Burrowes said he was staggered that police had lost his report recommending that charges be laid against Department of
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