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2021.09.14
15 Senator K.L. Moore of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the Norfolk Police
investigation:
Will the Minister state when he anticipates the Norfolk Police investigation into the planning department will be completed and will he advise Members whether the report will be made publicly available?
Deputy G.C. Guida (The Minister for Home Affairs):
Norfolk Police have indicated that the States of Jersey Police should receive a final update on the outcome of the investigation by the end of 2021. Should the final report recommend consideration of charges, any report will be sub judice until court proceedings are concluded. Should no criminal charges be recommended, consideration will be given to publishing a redacted version of any report in line with the requirements of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018.
- Senator K.L. Moore :
Given that deadline and target, would the Minister accept that there is still a considerable amount of work to do for the investigating Police Authority and have they expressed any concerns to him, given that some individuals have submitted to the report over 2½ years ago and have yet to receive acknowledgement or even an interview?
Deputy G.C. Guida:
I am sure the Senator is quite familiar with the lack of powers of the Minister over investigations, especially ongoing investigations. In this particular case I am just as impatient as she is to receive any result from this. As far as I understand, the investigation itself was finished quite a few months ago and it is all about writing the report and finalising it and we are very close to that.
The Bailiff :
I have Deputy Morel next. Then, Deputy Higgins, you appear to have some technical difficulties but you nonetheless wish to ask a question.
Deputy M.R. Higgins: Yes, sir, that is the case.
The Bailiff :
I will call you after Deputy Morel in that case.
Deputy M.R. Higgins:
Thank you.
- Deputy K.F. Morel :
In many ways, it is a question of clarification. The Minister said in his answer to the first of Senator Moore 's questions he is expecting an update or a final update at the end of the year. Could he confirm whether that is a final update which sounds, in my mind, to be quite a minor thing as opposed to a final report, which I would expect to be a root and branch final version of the investigation and its results? Could he confirm what he is expecting to see at the end of this year?
Deputy G.C. Guida:
This is a good question. It is an important point of detail. My understanding is that the final report, the conclusion of the investigation, will be given to the States of Jersey Police before the end of 2021.
- Deputy K.F. Morel :
As a result of that, would the Minister expect to see it himself?
Deputy G.C. Guida: Sorry, Sir, I did not hear that.
The Bailiff :
As a result of that, would you expect to see it yourself, Minister? Deputy G.C. Guida:
Again, the Minister has very, very little involvement in ongoing investigations. I think there are many safeguards in place to make sure that there is no intervention in the day-to-day work of the police. So, no, I will not see the result of this investigation, especially if there are court proceedings resulting from it.
Deputy M.R. Higgins:
Sir, I might be able to assist Members as well on this briefly before I ask my question, if I may.
The Bailiff :
Well, I am afraid, no, it does have to be a question. That is the nature of Question Time.
- Deputy M.R. Higgins:
Will the Minister tell me whether the report will be going to the chief of police and, from him, to the Attorney General if charges are to be levied and that, therefore, the first we will know whether the Attorney General decides to prosecute or not?
Deputy G.C. Guida:
I am unsure of the normal process. It is the first investigation of that class that I have seen as a Minister. I believe that this is exactly how it will happen in the sense that we will know when charges are levied because those of course will be direct.
- Deputy M.R. Higgins:
Can the Minister tell us whether it is his understanding that all interviews that have now have been conducted in Jersey under caution and that the papers were being prepared for submission to the Island?
Deputy G.C. Guida:
I have no idea. Again, I have no input or any link to the process.
The Bailiff :
A final supplementary, Senator Moore ?
Senator K.L. Moore : No, thank you, Sir.