Lachie Jones’ father speaks at inquest and questions chronology of events

Lachlan Jones’ father believes the investigation into his 3-year-old son’s death was a “botched police job” but confirmed that allegations made during the investigation into the death were made in his name.

Lachie was found dead in a Gore District Council oxidation pond on January 29, 2019, and two police investigations concluded the boy drowned in a tragic accident.

For the past five years, Paul Jones has been outspoken about shortcomings in the police investigation. He believes his son was murdered.

Overseen by coroner Alexander Ho at Invercargill court, the 15-day inquest has entered its second week, with Lachie’s mother, half-siblings and other witnesses giving evidence over the past week.

Jones told the inquest that he did not know what happened that night, but when asked by police lawyer Robin Bates if allegations made by his lawyer Max Simpkins that Lachie’s mother, Michelle Officer, and Lachie’s half-siblings, Cameron and Johnnie (who at the time were 18 and 16 respectively) were involved in or had knowledge of the boy’s death and a cover-up was made on his behalf, responded: “That’s correct.”

Bates told Jones that the investigation had heard of discord in the officer’s home due to his alcohol consumption, for which Jones said he “took full responsibility.”

“I had a problem where I was taken to court and (the officer) made a statement here that it was male assault on women, but it wasn’t, it was just a push, a common assault,” he told the inquest. .

He admitted that when he drank he was prone to having outbursts with the officer’s other children due to their alleged mistreatment of Lachie.

He recalled an incident where Lachie was on his half-brother Johnnie’s shoulders and “for some reason he crashed to the ground.”

Jones said he wanted to take Lachie to the hospital “with or without Michelle, but in the end she decided to come.”

He recalled another incident in which Lachie told him that his older half-brother, Cameron, would hit him on the hand when he was “being naughty” and another when he alleged that Johnny brought a friend home while they were drunk, and “spit in the garage.” “. and he would fool around in the kitchen and pee on Lachie.”

Bates told Jones that throughout the investigation, several witnesses had heard that Lachie was “an energetic little boy.”

Jones disputed this and joked, “He was a lazy prick.”

Jones said: “At the end of the day, if what happened is true, what mother loses (Lachie) again, what mother belittles him and never picks him up again?”

“I’m disappointed that they took care of him, and if someone else picked him up that night, why doesn’t (the officer) try as hard as I did?” he said.

“It looks like a fucking botched police job and you’re trying to fix it.”

He alleged that the officer’s version of events “did not match.”

The officer previously told the inquest that their relationship had broken down, but Jones alleged that on the morning of Lachie’s death, after spending the night, the officer cooked him eggs and kissed him on the cheek.

“If she hates me so much, why did she do that?”

Mr Jones told the inquest that Lachie had no energy and he had never seen him chasing ducks before.

Bates questioned Jones about a video shown earlier in the investigation that showed Lachie running, but he questioned whether he was chasing ducks.

Under questioning by Beatrix Woodhouse, a lawyer for Lachie’s mother, Jones said he did not accept the alleged timeline of events set out by previous witnesses, but if he did, he still did not believe the officer was doing everything she could.

Lawyer Liberty Wells, the pathologist’s lawyer, asked Jones why he was refusing an autopsy for Lachie, and told the inquest: “I just didn’t want my son to be cut up and stuff, I guess.”

Lachie’s grandfather Graham Jones told the inquest that his son Paul had been living with him and his partner for about two months after the breakdown of his relationship with the officer.

He told the inquest that he observed Lachie’s body in the center of St John on the night of her death and that it was “absolutely frozen”.

He said he hugged the boy and checked his body for marks, but found none.

The grandfather told the inquest that Lachie had no more energy than a “normal 3-year-old”.

He said he never visited the officer at her home and told the inquest that his knowledge of their relationship came from Paul.

She was also unaware of the alleged problems at home due to Paul’s drinking and gambling.

He told Woodhouse that he didn’t think the Officer would be a good mother to Lachie, but he knew she had a protective order against Paul.

The investigation is ongoing.