The Scott Watson Case: watertight or trial by media?

[nugnug]

Watson should never have been convicted on the shonky evidence the Police had on him.

i agrea the big clincer his boat described by all the  witneses and they cant all of got it wrong.

[handyman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwLVo_lFzHA

I've just watched the above 3 part video. By a group called the Maritime Research Group.
It's quite compelling viewing if you can handle the narrator's monotone voice.
It focuses on the mystery Ketch, concluding that the whole case should have been one of search, locate & rescue. Instead of a fixation on Scott Watson.

The Watson case is a complete mess.
If the Police did ignore all the sightings of the mystery Ketch up until the 6th Jan. 1998, with the young couple being seen on board, & watson is proven innocent.
I can see the families, especially the likes of Gerald Hope sueing the Police for gross incompetence, added to Watson's compensation I can see the NZ taxpayer shelling out 10s of millions $.

[sandra L]

What I don't understand is how such a distinctive vessel disappeared.  I agree that ignoring all those sightings was madness, but where did it go after the last recorded sighting? I'm sure that wherever it went, in any circumstances, people would notice it, which makes it a strange choice of craft for an abduction.

[nugnug]

in a missing persons case the first priority surely is locating the missing people but the police seem to have shown zero intrest in doing that.

i mean finding a suspect is supposed to come secound to locatin the missing isnt it.

[Steve_uk]

There's a bit more here updated a few days ago: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/@summer-newsroom/2018/01/03/72640/the-case-against-scott-watson

[nugnug]

There's a bit more here updated a few days ago: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/@summer-newsroom/2018/01/03/72640/the-case-against-scott-watson

note the weasel words dna tests show it was highly liely to be olivas hair on the blanket in other words theres no postive dna match at all.

and as for her cliams that the existence of ketch is in dispute thats completly untrue.

and as the cliam that he hasn't denied well hes been loudly protesting his innocence for 20 years so that's a complete lie. what does she think a not guilty plea means.

[Steve_uk]

note the weasel words dna tests show it was highly liely to be olivas hair on the blanket in other words theres no postive dna match at all.

and as for her cliams that the existence of ketch is in dispute thats completly untrue.

and as the cliam that he hasn't denied well hes been loudly protesting his innocence for 20 years so that's a complete lie. what does she think a not guilty plea means.

I think the implication from this case is that Scott Watson invited the two youngsters onto his boat, delivered on a water taxi by Guy Wallace, who must have been mistaken about the type of vessel he saw(it was probably dark in the early hours even though it was summer, and in his drawing he does underline the word "ketch" and put a question mark after it and no photographs exist of this boat from partygoers at that particular time on New Year's Eve).

Watson then got into some kind of altercation with Ben Smart or offered to show him around the boat, whilst Olivia said she was exhausted and lay down on the tiger blanket. Whilst Smart was on deck Watson pulled out a knife and killed Smart. Following this Watson had no alternative but to get rid of Olivia, possibly raping her before slitting her throat. He then cast off and found some cove or crevasse in which to stash the bodies, disposed of his clothes and sailed back into Endeavour Inlet.

Of course this is all speculation, but the jury heard tapes from a telephone conversation with a former girlfriend, which Police say were incriminatory, though they have never been disclosed to the public.

[nugnug]

I think the implication from this case is that Scott Watson invited the two youngsters onto his boat, delivered on a water taxi by Guy Wallace, who must have been mistaken about the type of vessel he saw(it was probably dark in the early hours even though it was summer, and in his drawing he does underline the word "ketch" and put a question mark after it and no photographs exist of this boat from partygoers at that particular time on New Year's Eve).

Watson then got into some kind of altercation with Ben Smart or offered to show him around the boat, whilst Olivia said she was exhausted and lay down on the tiger blanket. Whilst Smart was on deck Watson pulled out a knife and killed Smart. Following this Watson had no alternative but to get rid of Olivia, possibly raping her before slitting her throat. He then cast off and found some cove or crevasse in which to stash the bodies, disposed of his clothes and sailed back into Endeavour Inlet.

Of course this is all speculation, but the jury heard tapes from a telephone conversation with a former girlfriend, which Police say were incriminatory, though they have never been disclosed to the public.

the guy is a water tazi driver his job is to transport people back to the boats I think he would of seen enough weather he was looking at a slope or not.

[Steve_uk]

the guy is a water tazi driver his job is to transport people back to the boats I think he would of seen enough weather he was looking at a slope or not.

Yes I've read he feels extremely bad about transporting these two to their deaths, but he shouldn't blame himself because it wasn't his fault.

[handyman]

What I don't understand is how such a distinctive vessel disappeared.  I agree that ignoring all those sightings was madness, but where did it go after the last recorded sighting? I'm sure that wherever it went, in any circumstances, people would notice it, which makes it a strange choice of craft for an abduction.

In part 3 of the video I posted the Ketch is sighted around NZ coastal waters for a few months after January 1998.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJoW6qhHmn8

I don't think those involved (the yaught's crew) had intended to carry out an abduction.
 I think they attended the partying at the lodge, and coerced Olivia Hope to go on board with Ben Smart, Not sure if they were actually a couple.

My reading of it, is that it was probably gang related, the crew running drugs to various drop off points. Olivia Hope is coerced on board for sexual gratification, or whilst on board she & Ben Smart notice something they shouldn't have.
Then the crew & or gang involved spend a few days working out what to do with them.

The so called cell mate confessions which were later discredited, could have been disclosed by members in the know of the particular gang, whilst in jail.

Here's an easier to watch video than what I've posted above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbTmVwxQIkM

[nugnug]

Watson was also visivily drunk when heading back to his boat the the water tazi driver does not mention this in his statement.

and also all the men on the boat next to Watson's say he returned alone.

and none of the heard him leave again.

[nugnug]

In part 3 of the video I posted the Ketch is sighted around NZ coastal waters for a few months after January 1998.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJoW6qhHmn8

I don't think those involved (the yaught's crew) had intended to carry out an abduction.
 I think they attended the partying at the lodge, and coerced Olivia Hope to go on board with Ben Smart, Not sure if they were actually a couple.

My reading of it, is that it was probably gang related, the crew running drugs to various drop off points. Olivia Hope is coerced on board for sexual gratification, or whilst on board she & Ben Smart notice something they shouldn't have.
Then the crew & or gang involved spend a few days working out what to do with them.

The so called cell mate confessions which were later discredited, could have been disclosed by members in the know of the particular gang, whilst in jail.

Here's an easier to watch video than what I've posted above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbTmVwxQIkM

if the police thought the cellmates evidence was guine surely they would of got him to wear a wire I man they bugged Watsons house so there cant be any legal reason why they couldn't of eavesdropped on a conversation he had in prison.

they new the cellmate evidence wasn't true.

[Steve_uk]

A retired accountant is convinced of Watson's innocence: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/97040741/amateur-investigator-highlights-flaw-in-the-scott-watson-case

[nugnug]

were the victems actully a couple or not

[handyman]

were the victems actully a couple or not

They are referred to as friends not a couple.

Just to add to the confusion, especially  New Years eve witnesses with a few drinks consumed, I'm struck how similar Ben Smart & Scott Watson look despite the then 6 year age gap. But 8 year with this photo.