Suicide inquiry continues

The Department of Corrrections is still investigating the suicide of a man allegedly told by a probation officer that he would be gang-raped in prison.

Damon Mark Machiavelli, 32, hanged himself in his Titirangi home last month. He was due to be sentenced in the High Court at Auckland the following week after admitting manufacturing the drug speed for his own use.

His lawyer, Gary Gotlieb, has said that Machiavelli's partner believed he was driven to suicide by what he had been told.

A department spokeswoman said it was not known how long it would take to complete the investigation.