Yallop refuses to co-operate

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 4

Yallop refuses to co-operate

NZPA Staff Correspondent ' London . The investigative - author, David Yallop, has criticised the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Thomas case and said he would refuse point-blank to co-operate with it on just one point of his probe into the Crewe murders. He told the NZPA he had been asked by the commission’s counsel, in a cablegram, to swear an affidavit in London naming the woman whom he believes fed Rochelle Crewe in the period before her parents’ deaths were discovered.'

■Mr Yallop .'had previously told the commission he could not get to New Zea*

land to testify personally before it because he is committed to work in London unti mid-November.

“They told me they could not hold up proceedings until then and have asked me to swear an affidavit naming the woman,” he said. “I would be very happy to respond in that manner because I, in fact, suggested it but I refuse point-blank to be restricted to one question and one answer.

“Being asked one question is not in the furtherance of justice, but it does seem to have political reasons involving the police.” Mr Yallop, who is now working on a book about the Yorkshire v Ripper, said he would answer that one question if" he was allowed to give evidence on other mat-

ters as well. He said he would need to see a transcript of commission testimony so far. He criticised the commission for not seeking evidence from him earlier and said that as a result he was now "getting stick” for not being in New Zealand. Mr Yallop . also said he had not been told the mystery woman’s name by anyone. “I worked it out on the basis of the evidence I had,” he said, “but if I had been able to prove her identity beyond a reasonable doubt, to borrow a phrase, I would have mentioned it in the book. .

“The only people. I have told are the Prime Minister and the head of his department but I am sure a lot of other people in New Zealand

know her name, or at least think they do.” Mr Yallop said he was sorry he was not in New Zealand for the. premiere of the film based on his book but he has since had a private screening of it — thanks to a cassette recording flown to London. “I publicly congratulate the cast, crew, director, and producer — in fact, every single person connected with it,” he said. “I am proud to have been: the initiating force that has produced such a flowering of brilliant talent. The story is a shameful one, but the manner ,of its telling is a cause for acclaim by every New Zealander,” ? Hans Petrovic’s - review of the film, “Beyond Reasonable Doubt,” appears on Page 12. ' ' A, /