The Southland Times
February 10, 2004

City officer joins investigation
by Chalpat Sonti

An Invercargill police officer will be part of a team of police conducting a criminal investigation of allegations of rape against three police officers.

The criminal investigation follows the allegation that the three officers pack raped the then 18-year-old Louise Nicholas and violated her with a baton in Rotorua in 1986.

One of the officers involved is Auckland police commander and assistant commissioner Clint Rickards, head of the Invercargill CIB in 1993-94.

The other men, who have left the force, are Tauranga city councillor Brad Shipton and Napier car dealer Bob Schollum.

All three have denied the allegations, with Mr Rickards stood down on full pay while the claims are investigated.

Southern police district commander Superintendent Nick Perry, 52, of Dunedin, has been named to head the team conducting the investigation.

Mr Perry said from Wellington that three police staff from the southern district had joined him on the 13-strong team.

One was an officer from Invercargill, while the other two were an officer and a non-sworn staff member from Dunedin.

Mr Perry declined to give any further details about the staff involved in the inquiry.

A police veteran of 33 years, Mr Perry has been involved in criminal investigations against police before.

The allegations had stirred up a lot of public interest but, because of the amount of information to be assessed, it was impossible to give a time frame for the inquiry, Mr Perry said.