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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse in NZ |
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A Cambridge woman laid
false complaints of rape and sexual assault against a policeman and his
colleague following publicity of historic police rape allegations made by
Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas, Hamilton District Court has been told. The 44-year-old woman
–- who has name suppression –- faces two charges of making a false statement
to police. Her trial began yesterday. Crown solicitor Simon
Moore said the woman first made an allegation to her lawyer Tim Clarke in
early February last year, three days after publicity surrounding Nicholas'
case resulted in a high-profile police officer being suspended. "Given the
political climate at the time, these were very topical disclosures to be
taken very seriously," Mr Moore said. The court was told that
on April 14 last year the defendant told Hamilton police she had been raped
and indecently assaulted by a Waikato constable several times in the previous
two months. The woman also falsely claimed she was sexually violated during a
search by a female non-sworn police staff member when arrested for credit
card and cheque theft on December 9, 2003. In court yesterday,
Judge Robert Spear granted the defendant and the two complainants interim
name suppression. Mr Moore said the
defendant's actions were either to obstruct or derail the charges laid
against her, or because she was embarrassed at wetting herself at the police
station when arrested. The woman's story
changed over time and the alleged dates of the sexual abuse varied. After an investigation
by Counties-Manukau police –- dubbed Operation Castle –- the constable was
stood down in June and has since resigned. The former constable
told the court he was called to the station and told he was suspended. He
said he had executed a search warrant at the defendant's address and took her
to the station for questioning. As the woman wanted to use the toilet, he
asked his female colleague to search her as he believed she was hiding
something. However, the defendant wet herself before she was searched. On one of the dates he
was accused of sexually assaulting the woman, he was out of town at a
wedding, he said. Under cross-examination
by defence lawyer Mike Robb, he admitted seeking counselling before the
complaints were laid. He said he had wanted to leave the police force because
he did not like the way it had changed him. His female colleague
told the court the defendant stripped after she had wet herself. She found
the woman hiding identification cards which were not in her name. |
