Waikato Times
February 7, 2004
Miller himself berated for inquiry that he fronted
by Nicola Boyes
One of the main
players in revelations of the alleged police pack rape of a Rotorua woman
suffered his own public berating following an inquiry he headed.
Rex Miller, former Hamilton CIB head, conducted a Police Complaints Authority
investigation in 1995 into the handling of pack rape allegations by former
Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas.
Mrs Nicholas alleges
In 1993 she told then Rotorua CIB head, John Dewar, but now she alleges he
advised her against making a complaint.
Mr Miller was sent in with other senior police officers to investigate the
handling of the case.
Mr Miller's investigation saw the three officers counselled and Mr Dewar
cleared of any criminal or disciplinary offences.
A year later Mr Miller was sent on another investigation which saw him run into
Mr Rickards again, and ended with his own performance being publicly
scrutinised.
Mr Miller and Hamilton CIB detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead
headed Operation Vine, an investigation which started in November 1996 into
allegations that five Gisborne police officers had been supplying the Mongrel
Mob with drugs in return for information.
The officers were charged but acquitted and Mr Miller and Mr Whitehead were hammered following an inquiry by Judge
Russell Callander, who said there was a lack of
evidence, investigators failed to interview numerous witnesses, prejudged the
five guilty and influenced the assessment of evidence.
Mr Miller and Mr Whitehead took the issue to the
Toward the end of Operation Vine, in November 1997, Mr Rickards, who had been
part of Mr Miller's Rotorua investigation, was made top cop in Gisborne.
As Mr Miller was going through a public slating, Mr Rickards was given the top
job as
At the time Mr Miller was one of three inspectors required to reapply for their
jobs under the national police review. At the time he said he "couldn't be
bothered with that crap", and resigned.
Mr Miller says he has no axe to grind with anyone in coming out and making the
statements he has surrounding the pack rape allegations.
"It's just facts, isn't it? Facts are facts.
"It's not in my nature."
He says the extent of what has come out has amazed even him.
"It's good that it's come out so that it can be resolved once and for
all."