Bain's retrial cost police $476,000

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Police spent almost $476,000 on David Bain's retrial on charges of murdering his family.

The costs include two trips by detectives to Britain and to Australia to prepare for the retrial, but they exclude the salaries of police officers who worked on the case.

Mr Bain was acquitted last month of killing his parents Robin, 58, and Margaret, 50, sisters Arawa, 19, Laniet, 18, and brother Stephen, 14, in 1994.

He spent 13 years in prison after being found guilty at his first trial in 1995 but the convictions were overturned by the Privy Council in May 2007, which ordered a new trial.

Assistant police commissioner Viv Rickard said the police costs from May 10, 2007, for the retrial totalled nearly $476,000.

They included trips to York and London by a detective to deliver exhibits and meet experts, and travel by a detective to Melbourne and Canberra to deliver and collect exhibits and brief experts.

Also included are pathology costs, travel, accommodation and meals for police preparing for and giving evidence at the retrial, liaising with the Crown and defence in Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington, photographic booklets, stationery, equipment and transferring the file to Christchurch.

No records were kept on the hours worked by the prosecution. But a police spokesman said four officers worked fulltime on the case and at times 25 staff were involved when events such as revisiting witnesses was being carried out. There were also no records of the cost of the original investigation, the 1995 trial, or legal hearings up until the 2007 Privy Council decision.

Despite this, it remains the most expensive trial in New Zealand history, costing taxpayers more than $4 million.

Mr Bain received $2,056,495 in legal aid for his defence at the retrial but final invoices could push the figure even higher. His legal aid bill for the 1995 trial and appeals was $706,127, then the biggest in New Zealand.

Legal Services Agency has said Mr Bain, who sold his story to a women's magazine in a deal reputed to be worth $50,000, did not have to repay the grant for the retrial but "does have a repayment established on his aid for the pre-trial matters". It would not say how much that was. The prosecution case for the retrial cost $1,179,799 and court costs were believed to be $142,000.

- © Fairfax NZ News