There's another twist in the puzzling disappearance of John and Mike Beckenridge - missing from Southland since 2015.

During a Coronial hearing in Christchurch today, a witness retracted his earlier claim his cousin had told him he'd helped the pair flee.

The father and stepson's car was found in wild sea near the Catlins - below an 88-metre cliff, with no bodies. 

Herald reporter Anna Leask says the witness made a complete turnaround  after being shown his police statement.

"He read through his statement and said - that's what the police have, in this document, that I didn't say it and I never said that and he didn't say this to me."

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There's another twist in the puzzling disappearance of John and Mike Beckenridge - missing from Southland since 2015.
During a Coronial hearing in Christchurch today, a witness retracted his earlier claim his cousin had told him he'd helped the pair flee.
The father and stepson's car was found in wild sea near the Catlins - below an 88-metre cliff, with no bodies.&nbsp;
Herald reporter Anna Leask says the witness made a complete turnaround&nbsp; after being shown his police statement.
"He read through his statement and said - that's what the police have, in this document, that I didn't say it and I never said that and he didn't say this to me."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Anna Leask: NZ Herald senior crime reporter on a witness retracting an earlier claim about the Beckenridge case

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a52f52b7-0207-44c1-8715-b2c8005c9eb9/transcript