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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse in NZ |
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A Tauranga policeman
has been acquitted of sexual violation following a seven-day jury trial. Senior Constable
Fredrick John Follas, 44, was found not guilty of having inappropriately
touched a female prisoner with a bar of soap and then his fingers in the
shower block at Tauranga police station. The allegation arose at
the same time Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas went public with her accusation
that she was raped by three policemen in 1986. It took the jury 70
minutes to decide Mr Follas was innocent. Summing-up, Crown
prosecutor Jonathan Temm told the jury to find Mr Follas guilty because he
had time on the morning of February 5 last year to commit the offence. Mr Follas had also
built up a strong enough relationship with the woman that week in the cell
block that he was willing to risk she would not make a complaint. The jury was asked not
to be influenced by the woman's lifestyle and criminal history. However, the defence
asked the jury to be realistic about the circumstances the alleged offence
took place in. They were reminded how
busy Mr Follas was that morning looking after eight male prisoners as well as
the 22-year-old woman, whose name was suppressed. After the verdict,
Justice Colin Nicholson told Mr Follas he was free to go. "You have been
through an ordeal. It's over now," he said |
