Richard Arthur James Crawford v New Zealand Police
In the High Court of New Zealand Timaru Registry
Judgment of Nicholas Davidson J
Introduction
[1] This appeal is concerned with the admissibility of evidence obtained by the Police by a simple but effective
investigatory “trick”. It led to the appellant confessing that he had anonymously ordered a Domino’s pizza order without
paying, sent to an unwitting and unwilling recipient, who had already been upset by fictitious and anonymous orders
directed to her address.1
[2] The “trick” involved use of a “telecommunications device” to send an email text from the Police computer to the
appellant’s cell phone which induced his reply, giving his address. The email text probably constituted an offence in
itself, the same offence on which the appellant was convicted in the District Court, as it involved a fictitious
representation.
[3] In the District Court, and now on appeal, the issue is whether the confession the Police elicited from Mr Crawford
was admissible, given the investigatory trick.