Coroner Alexander Ho’s inquest into the 2019 death of the 3-year-old continued in Invercargill this morning.
Police swiftly concluded Lachie had drowned after he was found face up in a Gore oxidation pond, but his father never subscribed to that explanation.
Paul Jones gave evidence that he did not see Lachie walk or run very far and never saw him climb.
He explained he tried to take him on his courier run but it was a "disaster" with Lachie having to be carried most of the time.
"He was a lazy little prick," Mr Jones joked.
The witness gave evidence that he never believed Lachie walked 1.2km on his own and was concerned about leaving Lachie with Ms Officer and her sons Cameron and Jonathan Scott.
"It seems like a bloody botched up police job and you’re trying to fix it," Mr Jones said.
"Well that’s what we’re trying to do," counsel for the police Robin Bates replied.
He admitted he would get drunk and yell at Cameron and Jonathan.
"I take full responsibility for it . . . I have, on numerous occasions, roared at those boys," Mr Jones confessed.
"I did get very hot tempered."
He explained why he did not want a forensic post-mortem carried out on Lachie.
While he did not believe his son had travelled to the ponds alone, he did not know what happened, he said.
"I can't understand why he’d do it, he’s never acted like that before," the witness said.
"I want to know what happened."
He explained he stayed at Ms Officer’s house in the days before Lachie’s disappearance.
"I planned on trying to turn things around and make it work," Mr Jones said.
"I had Lachie and I thought he deserved a family."
Despite this and the fact that a court ordered Ms Officer would have the day-to-day care of Lachie, Mr Jones did not believe she was a good mother.
"Do you still hold your contention that Michelle was neglectful?" counsel for Ms Officer Beatrix Woodhouse asked.
"Yes," Mr Jones replied.
The inquest continues with Senior Sergeant Cynthia Fairley next in the witness box.
