The Detective Constable is understood to have begun a relationship with a woman he met when she made a sexual assault complaint to police.

A Christchurch mum of four who claims kleptomania is behind a string of thefts that led to her children being taken away has been told her crimes show she has no regard for them.

Circumstances that were "all too familiar" led to the death of two teens in Acacia Bay, Taupō - an inexperienced, unlicensed driver who'd consumed alcohol and drugs, and got behind the wheel.

Bullying at Dunedin Hospital has been revealed in documents released following reports some staff at Southland Hospital had been told they couldn't chat to each other for more than five minutes.