Tony Veitch's victory over police

Tony Veitch pleaded guilty in April to injuring Kirsten Dunne-Powell with reckless disregard. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A detective with personal links to Kristin Dunne-Powell should not have been assigned to work on the Tony Veitch investigation, according to an official report.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority - acting on a complaint from Veich - is understood to have ruled it was inappropriate for Detective Keitha Lally to have worked on the case.

Last night, police bosses acknowledged the authority's findings and announced that they had recently changed policy to ensure officers declared potential conflicts of interest.

Lally and Dunne-Powell were acquaintances who attended the same gym class, and Dunne-Powell confided in Lally before laying an official assault complaint against Veitch, her former partner.

Lally went on to work on aspects of the case, including interviewing witnesses, obtaining medical records, and carrying out property and travel checks. She was also one of two detectives present when Veitch was arrested, and drove him to and from court.

Last night, police bosses said the authority had addressed "certain issues around staff working on the case".

"Criticism related to some aspects of potential or perceived conflicts of interest in the case," said a statement from Assistant Commissioner Viv Rickard.

Police had recently "promulgated a policy on safe processes for the independence of investigations". This included requiring officers to immediately declare any potential or perceived conflict of interest.

Veitch pleaded guilty in April to injuring Dunne-Powell with reckless disregard while they were in a relationship.

It is understood the conduct authority found it would have been prudent and in accordance with the police code of conduct for Lally to have informed her supervisor of the full extent of her relationship with Dunne-Powell.

Lally said yesterday she could not comment. Inquiry head Detective Inspector Scott Beard said he was unable to comment on the report but, as a manager of Lally, he had always found her to be "professional". She was an experienced and very good detective.

Police national headquarters said it would not be commenting on any specific employment matters.

The Herald on Sunday understands that police were cleared of other aspects of the Veitch complaint, including criticisms about the time taken for his defence team to receive police evidence.

Police bosses said other actions by officers were found to comply with police practice and were reasonable and justified.

One source said it was a well-run investigation, with the ultimate result that Veitch had pleaded guilty.

Veitch would not comment.

Dunne-Powell said she had not read the report, but most of her dealings with police had been with other officers. Lally was an acquaintance whom she'd approached because she knew she was an officer.

"There was nothing about my relationship with Keitha Lally I would have thought was inappropriate to her having been involved in the case."

Lally was pulled off the Veitch case in March.

It is understood the authority also raised questions around Lally allegedly revealing details of the case to a relative who subsequently told Veitch he was going "down".