The Press
January 31, 2004

Louise Nicholas's statement


"It has been a difficult and shocking experience discovering how (former Rotorua CIB chief Detective Inspector) John Dewar treated my complaints. He never told me the police found that he failed to properly investigate what I told him about Clint Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum.

"John Dewar treated my statements about policemen differently to the way they would and should treat the same sort of allegations made against ordinary people. I wonder what the police response would have been if I had made the same complaints about gang members to a senior policeman.

"I believe there has been a cover- up and I'm appealing for the Government to order an independent inquiry into how my allegations were investigated.

"Till I was shown various documents by a reporter, I truly believed in Detective Inspector John Dewar, the man who assigned himself to investigate my complaints.

"I have since learned that the police officers he advised me not to make a written complaint about were (his) friends and associates.

"I will be asking our Prime Minister to order an independent inquiry to ensure that as a victim of police abuses I can finally be treated fairly and decently.

"After what they have done to me, and how John Dewar has manipulated me, I do not trust the police to investigate these issues.

"It has been difficult to speak publicly about degrading sexual abuse of me by police officers."