Kestle file ‘has nothing new’

Press, 1 March 1982, Page 4

Kestle file ‘has nothing new’

PA Wellington A review file on the conviction for murder of Murray Kestle contains nothing which gives any indication of a wrong conviction, according to the Minister of Police (Mr Couch). The file would not be released for "general perusal,” he said in reply to comments by an industrial analyst, Dr T. J. Sprott, who asserts that information important to a retrial campaign for Kestle is being withheld. "We believe there is evidence within the report beneficial to Murray Kestle,” said Dr Sprott, who is preparing a petition to the Governor-Gen-eral (Sir David Beattie), seeking a retrial. Kestle was convicted in 1973 of shooting his wife, Henny, aged 19, while she lay in bed in their house at Gordonton, near Hamilton. He has always denied guilt. Dr Sprott said information about the contents of the

report had come ■ from a reliable, but confidential, source.

He had asked Mr Couch three times for a copy of the document, which contains information about ballistic tests done in Auckland last year using Kestle's rifle. Mr Couch said the review file was started in 1980 in response to Dr Sprott’s assertions of a miscarriage of justice.

“The file is quite extensive and contains personal information about people involved. Thus the police are under a strict duty to protect confidentiality.” The police had promised to evaluate “new information,” try to confirm or refute any new scientific evidence, assess the credibility of any “new oral evidence,” and prepare a report to the Solicitor-General, Mr D. P. Neazor.

“At the time, the police said that while they were prepared to, comment on specific matters, they were

unable to release the file for general perusal," Mr Couch said.

"In spite of the police offer, neither Dr Sprott nor anyone else has provided any further information on the case.”