Former New Zealand police officer and convicted rapist Jamie Foster is seeking to prove his innocence with support from his influencer fiancée, Sera Cruickshank, and a private investigator.
Foster, 36, was convicted of raping a female colleague at a Kerikeri motel while he was assigned to Waitangi Day celebrations in 2019. He denied charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and indecent assault, but was sentenced to six years in prison in 2020.
After unsuccessful legal challenges, Foster was released on parole in April 2022. Two years later, he met influencer Sera Cruickshank at a gym, and the pair began a relationship, according to The New Zealand Herald. They welcomed a son five months ago.
Foster is now asking the Criminal Cases Review Commission to independently examine his convictions. He and his supporters say evidence raises questions about the way the police investigation was conducted.
“The evidence we have is compelling,” Cruickshank told The New Zealand Herald on Nov. 3. “What the police have gotten away with is just not good enough. It has destroyed his life and, falling in love with him, it has in ways destroyed mine. The CCRC is our only option.”
“There are substantial flaws in the case, some have been recognized in the courts,” private investigator Tim McKinnel told the outlet. “The question now is, are they sufficient to call into question the integrity of Jamie’s convictions?”
McKinnel has been investigating the case since the couple contacted him in 2025, he previously told The New Zealand Herald.
“Initially I was a little bit reluctant because the case has travelled most of the way through the criminal justice process,” he said. “But when we had a bit of a look at it there were a few issues with the case that we thought warranted closer examination.”
What Was Jamie Foster Convicted Of?
Foster and the victim were staying overnight at the motel, where alcohol was being consumed and there was a “party atmosphere,” according to a 2021 New Zealand Supreme Court judgment reviewed by Oxygen.
At about 12:30 a.m., the woman said she entered Foster’s room to get a drink. She alleged that he assaulted her and that she resisted. About two hours later, she said she woke in her own room and found Foster penetrating her. According to her account, he stopped after she protested.
The judgment said the woman later recorded a conversation in which Foster “accepted that some sexual activity occurred, though he initially denied it.”
Foster’s defense lawyer argued that he interpreted her response during the first incident as meaning “not yet” and believed she had invited him to her bedroom later that night, according to the judgment. Foster also said he believed she had initially consented to sex before changing her mind.
Why Is Evidence in Jamie Foster’s Case Being Questioned?
Documents obtained by The New Zealand Herald allegedly indicate that eight police officers involved in Foster’s case signed conflict-of-interest forms. Those documents were not provided to his defense team until four months after his conviction.
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The Court of Appeal said that knowing about the forms earlier could have affected how the defense presented its case, the outlet reported.
Cruickshank also alleged that a police officer emailed a forensic science agency before testing was complete, claiming Foster had showered to remove potential DNA evidence.
Foster denied showering, and forensic testing “was unable to link him” to the victim, according to the outlet.
Cruickshank further questioned whether surveillance and audio evidence used at trial had been handled thoroughly.
“Hard drives that were sent to the employment investigation team never arrived,” Cruickshank said, according to the outlet, “and a backup that was recorded was corrupt.”
She also alleged that some officers altered their statements after reviewing surveillance footage connected to the case.
A spokesperson for New Zealand Police told Oxygen that Foster’s conviction followed a “thorough” investigation and trial.
“The matters to which you refer were considered by the Court of Appeal, which dismissed Mr. Foster’s appeal in March 2021,” the spokesperson said. “The Supreme Court subsequently declined leave for a further appeal in July 2021.”
“It would be inappropriate for police to relitigate these convictions through the media,” the spokesperson continued. “Apart from undermining the judicial process, it risks retraumatizing the victim in this matter, who has displayed admirable courage.”
Cruickshank said she continues to support her fiancé.
“Jamie told me straight away: ‘You need to know I was convicted of rape,’” she told The New Zealand Herald. “I think that says a lot about him. I’m a straight shooter too.”
“In some ways, I’m wearing his conviction too,” Cruickshank added. “People look at me and think, ‘Why is she marrying a sex offender?’”
Representatives for Cruickshank and New Zealand Police did not immediately respond to Oxygen’s requests for comment.