Disgraced former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming claims Andrew Coster – the Police Commissioner at the time – advised him to pursue harassment charges against a woman who accused him of sexual assault.  The revelation comes in a letter obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act.  The December 2024 letter from McSkimming’s then-lawyer – addressed to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and copied to Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Deputy Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott – said McSkimming was a “victim of a sustained campaign of stalking and harassment” that spanned several years.  In November last year, the Independent Police Conduct Authority released a damning report into police’s response to allegations of sexual offending by McSkimming.  The woman referred to in the IPCA’s report as Ms Z was charged in May 2024 with causing harm by posting digital communication, in relation to more than 300 emails she allegedly sent to McSkimming’s work email address between December 2023 and April 2024.  The charge against the woman was withdrawn in the Wellington District Court in September, because McSkimming did not wish to give evidence.  After the IPCA’s report in November, RNZ became aware of a letter sent by McSkimming’s then lawyer Michael Heron KC to Luxon and Mitchell.  On Monday, RNZ obtained a copy of the letter under the Official Information Act.  The letter – dated December 17, 2024 – began with Heron saying that on December 13 McSkimming was informed by Baggott that Mitchell intended to advise Luxon to recommend to the Governor-General that McSkimming’s warrant be suspended on a temporary basis, pending the outcome of an investigation.  Heron said McSkimming posed no risk to police.  “He has voluntarily taken leave pending the outcome of the investigation and the further step of suspending him is not required and would, in fact, victimise him further.”  Heron said McSkimming was a “victim of a sustained campaign of stalking and harassment” that began in 2018 and was ongoing.  He said the woman who was stalking him was the same one who sparked the police investigation into McSkimming.  “My client has not been provided with any information about what exactly [Ms Z] alleges. However, that investigation appears to have prompted the Police Minister to request Baggott to set in motion the steps to suspend Mr McSkimming without delay.”  The letter said McSkimming had a “consensual affair” with the woman between May 2016 and May 2018.  Heron said McSkimming informed two members of the Police senior leadership team in May 2018 about the affair, the nature of Ms Z’s allegations and “his concerns of the risk of blackmail”.  McSkimming had made “continued disclosures” to several people, including telling Coster about the relationship and the nature of the threats and allegations when he was appointed Police Commissioner.  He also disclosed it in 2020 during the process of applying for a non-statutory Deputy Commissioner role, in 2023 when applying for the statutory role, and in 2024 before his interview for commissioner.  “Mr McSkimming has also, less formally, disclosed his circumstances to Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura and all his peers, including a number of Assistant Commissioners and senior officers. He has been open in these disclosures about the nature of [Ms Z’s] allegations about him.”  McSkimming had faced an “avalanche of harassment”, which had been “persistent and harmful”.  This included sending emails to media organisations about him, filing anonymous complaints about him to the Police 105 online reporting line, and communicating with the IPCA about him.  Heron said Ms Z had blind copied McSkimming into the communications to the IPCA.  “She was in effect using these communications as a form of harassment and pressure.”  Emails obtained exclusively by the Herald show the wo...