Retired High Court judge to review Pora claim

A leading former High Court judge has been appointed to assess Teina Pora’s compensation claim, Justice Minister Amy Adams has announced.

Hon Rodney Hansen CNZM QC, a retired Judge of the High Court of New Zealand, has been appointed to conduct the inquiry into Mr Pora’s claim for compensation for wrongful conviction and imprisonment.

“I received Mr Pora’s application for compensation earlier this year. After careful consideration, I’ve decided that Mr Pora’s claim merits further assessment and have referred his claim to a Queen’s Counsel for advice,” Ms Adams says.

“Mr Hansen’s distinguished legal career makes him well-placed to consider the claim objectively. His experience includes sitting on the bench in a number of high-profile criminal cases, and I’ve no doubt he will take to this important task diligently.”

Ms Adams has written to both Mr Pora’s legal representatives and Crown Law Office to advise them of Mr Hansen’s appointment.

Teina Pora lodged an application for compensation for wrongful conviction and imprisonment in April 2015 in respect of convictions for murder, sexual violation and aggravated burglary for which he spent just under 20 years in prison.

Mr Pora’s convictions were set aside by the Privy Council in March 2015. As his convictions were quashed without order of a retrial, Mr Pora is eligible to apply for compensation under the Cabinet Criteria for Compensation and Ex Gratia Payments for Persons Wrongly Convicted and Imprisoned in Criminal Cases.

Biography: Hon Rodney Hansen CNZM QC

Hon Rodney Hansen was admitted to the bar in 1969. His career focused on civil litigation and family law, with fifteen years spent as a litigation partner at a large commercial law firm before he commenced practice as a barrister at Shortland Chambers. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1995 and was appointed a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand in 1999.

For most of his time as a judge, Mr Hansen served as a divisional member of the Court of Appeal and as a commercial list judge. During his tenure on the bench, Mr Hansen sat on a number of high profile criminal cases. He retired from the bench in March 2014, returning to Shortland Chambers to practice as a mediator and arbitrator. He has since sat on the Court of Appeal of Tonga and the Court of Appeal of the Pitcairn Islands.