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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse in NZ |
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Tauranga Two associates
of a woman who claims a police officer sexually violated her in a shower at
Tauranga police station told a court she is a liar and out to get money. Tania Thomas and her
niece, Tangiora Thomas, were giving evidence for the defence in the trial of
Senior Constable Fredrick John Follas at the High Court in Rotorua. Follas has denied
sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection. He is accused of
violating a woman prisoner, whose name is suppressed, in the female cell
block of the police station on February 5 last year with a bar of soap and
then his fingers. Tania and Tangiora
Thomas told the court the woman had told them different versions of the
allegation and that she was making up the story to get money. Tangiora Thomas said
she had known the woman since she herself was about 13 years old. Ms Thomas said the
woman first told her about the violation about a week after it allegedly took
place. “She told me that Fred
got into her at the police station cells,” she said. “I got a fright because
I know Fred’s not like that. “I asked her if she was
sure that he had done that to her and she said that she was just lying.” Ms Thomas said the
woman repeated the story again on another occasion. “She said she was going
to take him to court for some money.” She also admitted
Follas had taken the soap to her in the shower block and left it at the door
like he usually did. Ms Thomas’ aunt, Tania
Thomas, gave similar evidence. “She told me that she
was going to have Fred up for rape or something stupid,” she said. “I didn’t want to
believe it. She’s a liar. She wanted this for money — this is all for money.
Fred would not do that. Fred is not like that.” Both women said Follas
treated them with respect during the times they had been held in the police
station cell block. Under cross-
examination by Crown prosecutor Jonathan Temm, Tangiora Thomas admitted she
had been caught driving whilst disqualified 13 times in the past 15 years. Tania Thomas admitted
she had “heaps” of past convictions. She put them down to mistakes made in
her past. The defence also called
nine police officers who outlined their dealings with the woman prisoner. Two of the officers
described times when the woman accused them of wanting to have sex with her and
to stare at her body. |
