Sunday Star Times
February 1, 2004

PM knew of rape claim
By Rachel Grunwell and Oskar Alley

Cop claims woman was 'ashamed' by what she let police officers do to her

Prime Minister Helen Clark last night ordered a full inquiry into rape allegations against an assistant police commissioner - amid revelations she was briefed on the claims before he was promoted.

Police Minister George Hawkins and police commissioner Rob Robinson also said they had known of the historical allegations against assistant commissioner Clint Rickards for years.

Louise Nicholas, of Gisborne, claimed in the Dominion Post yesterday she was raped and violated with a baton by Rickards and former officers Brad Shipton, a Tauranga district councillor, and Bob Schollum, a Napier used car salesman. She accused Detective Inspector John Dewar, the man charged with investigating the allegations, with failing to investigate them properly in order to protect his colleagues.

But in an interview with the Sunday Star-Times yesterday Dewar claimed physical contact between the complainant, Nicholas, and the three men was consensual.

"She was clear it was consensual, but was not something she was proud of."

Dewar said he had not covered up for the officers and that Nicholas had never wanted to lay a complaint against the three.

The men have admitted having sex with Nicholas, but said it was consensual. They denied the incident Nicholas described, in which a baton was used, ever took place.

After the news broke yesterday morning:

· Lawyers acting for the three men - Rickards, Shipton and Schollum - issued strong statements again denying the allegations, stating they were cleared 10 years ago and that defamation expert Julian Miles QC had been hired to represent them;

· Clark ordered a full investigation, and her officials suggested a possible parliamentary inquiry;

· The Police Complaints Authority, which had originally investigated whether Dewar had conspired to cover up the allegations, was reviewing its file and considering a fresh investigation;

· Robinson promised a fresh police inquiry into the claims.

Robinson also revealed Clark, and then state services commissioner Michael Wintringham, were told about the allegations against Rickards in 2000. A spokesman for Clark said she was aware of the allegations, although he was unsure of the detail provided to her.

Hawkins said he was also aware of the allegations, and he had sought assurances from police they had no foundation. "Senior police" assured him the claims had been investigated and there was no case to answer.

Clark promised a full investigation into the allegations. She said: "These are serious allegations and the government will ensure they are fully investigated. We are taking advice on the most appropriate form of that investigation."

Robinson also ordered a review of the allegations and the way previous complaints had been handled by police. A decision on whether Rickards would be stood down during the inquiry would be made tomorrow.

Robinson said he was first aware of the allegations against Rickards four years ago. He said the government was also briefed on the matter before Rickards was promoted to assistant commissioner in 2001.

"What is new today is the allegations that the integrity of those investigations . . . has been called into question."

Dewar was shown on One News last night stating that at least some of the physical contact between Nicholas and the three men was without her consent. He was filmed by a hidden One News camera, which showed Nicholas confronting Dewar.

Nicholas said to Dewar: "At the end of the day it was not consensual, this is what hacked me off. You knew that."

Dewar replied: "I certainly knew the part regarding the baton was not consensual. It would be hard to understand why you would consent to that."

But yesterday, he told the Star-Times a different story. "She said it was part of a different life. She felt ashamed and embarrassed, but she had to take responsibility for what happened. She never said anything about sexual offending in groups. She said she had a relationship with them all separately.

"The impression I gained was she received a certain degree of satisfaction being present among police officers, they made her feel important, gave her mana, she seemed to relish the attention from these very important and powerful men in the country. She said she was ashamed and embarrassed about what she allowed these men to do to her."

Nicholas claims that when she tried to complain about the rapes in 1993, Dewar talked her out of making a written complaint. Detective chief inspector Rex Miller, later asked by the Police Complaints Authority to investigate, told the Dominion Post Nicholas was "moulded like play dough" into not making a complaint.

The government was criticised by other political parties - except NZ First, which refused to comment - over knowing, yet failing to adequately handle, the allegations.

Marc Alexander, police spokesman for United Future, said Hawkins was "stupid" to believe the allegations would not be made public, and "blind" not to have ordered a full inquiry.

Keith Locke, of the Greens, said Hawkins should not have accepted police assurances the matter was resolved. An examination of the investigation would have "sent alarm bells off".

Tony Ryall, National's police spokesman, said he was concerned at the effect the allegation would have on the front-line police. He urged the government to ensure the investigations were robust.

Muriel Newman, Act's police spokeswoman, said it was Hawkins' duty, when he heard of the allegations, to establish an independent inquiry. "Asking around is just not sufficient," she said.

Although Nicholas said she wanted parliament - not police - to investigate her case, Robinson said he was required by law to investigate on behalf of Police Complaints Authority Judge Ian Borrin.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Long, who is up against Rickards for the commissioner's job, would head a team of senior police investigators to carry out the review.