"Roast Busters" Will Not Be Prosecuted

Police are to make an announcement this afternoon on Operation Clover, the investigation into the "Roast Busters" allegations.

The Herald understands the victim has been told that the alleged offenders will not be prosecuted due to a lack of evidence.

Police will release documents to media at 2pm, which will be embargoed until 3pm.

The press conference comes after an Independent Police Conduct Authority found a systemic breakdown of communication within the police led to inaccurate information being provided to the public amid the Roast Busters scandal.

The IPCA report was released on May 22, and looked into the adequacy of the police investigation and the handling of any complaints or reports to police from the public between 2011 and October 2013. It also looked at the information police gave to media.

The Roast Busters scandal caused widespread outrage after it was revealed young men were posting videos of themselves online bragging about sexual activities with drunk, underage girls -- some as young as 13.

Detective Inspector Bruce Scott of Waitemata district said in November last year that even though police were aware of the group, there was nothing they could do until a girl was "brave enough" to make a formal complaint.

Days later it emerged a young teen had complained to police two years before, but she was not taken seriously.

The 15-year-old who went to police about the Roast Busters in 2011, said she would lay a new formal complaint after the scandal broke.

She also criticised police for their line of questioning, including asking her what she was wearing at the time of the assault, when she was aged just 13.

Source: NZHerald