Police comment on information issues in relation to the Jade Bayliss murder case
The following comments may be attributed to Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald, Canterbury Police Criminal
Investigations Manager:
Police are not able to comment on the specifics of this case, as the matter has not yet gone to sentencing and remains
before the Courts. Police will not be available for interviews on this matter.
We can confirm that NZ Police were advised of the deportation of Mr McLaughlin to New Zealand in 2001, through the NZ
Police Liaison Office in Sydney, who had been advised by Australian immigration authorities. Information regarding his
convictions was also noted in 2001.
The general process is that where NZ Police receive appropriate notification from a foreign law enforcement agency about
the return of New Zealanders who have been convicted of crimes and served sentences in another country, NZ Police,
through Interpol, will seek to obtain as much relevant information as possible about that person’s background.
However, the type of information that may be obtained will be influenced by the deporting country’s privacy laws and
other applicable legislation.
If a person has legitimately completed their sentence served in another country and been released, New Zealand
authorities have no legal mandate to impose further conditions upon their release.
Under New Zealand law there are constraints on what Police can disclose to other parties about a person's previous
criminal history.
ENDS