NZ Herald
February 14, 2004
Police officer's job reference prompts questions
by Phil Taylor
The top police
officer accused of the pack rape of a teenager in the mid-1980s gave a verbal
job reference for a detective inspector accused of failing to properly
investigate the complaint.
Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards, who has been stood down as Auckland's
top policeman pending a commission of inquiry and a new police investigation,
gave the reference for John Dewar when St John hired him as an executive about
two years ago.
Jaimes Wood, the chief executive of
Mr Wood confirmed that
It had not known that Mr Dewar was convicted by a police disciplinary tribunal
of making a sexist and improper remark to a policewoman, nor that he was
transferred to a desk job in Auckland from his role as detective inspector in
charge of the Rotorua CIB because he was considered a divisive factor in the
station.
"I have got the microscope on this and I am working out what to do,"
Mr Wood said.
Louise Nicholas complained to Mr Dewar in 1993 that when she was 18, she was
raped and violated with a police baton by Mr Rickards, Brad Shipton, now a
Tauranga city councillor and bar-owner, and Bob Schollum, a
She accuses Mr Dewar of not properly investigating her complaint because he was
covering up for the police officers.
TVNZ last night reported the claim of another former Rotorua woman who said she
had had group sex with Mr Dewar and Mr Shipton.
Rex Miller, a former detective chief inspector who headed an inquiry for the
Police Complaints Authority into Mr Dewar's handling of Mrs Nicholas'
complaint, has said his inquiry was compromised by Mr Dewar, who used the
influence he had at the time over Mrs Nicholas to ensure she did not
co-operate.
The authority's report is understood to have been critical of Mr Dewar's
inquiry.
Mr Dewar did not interview Mr Rickards face-to-face about Mrs Nicholas'
allegations. He told the authority he phoned Mr Rickards, who was then
stationed in Invercargill, and made notes in his diary, which has been lost.
Mr Dewar would not comment yesterday but this month said he stood by his
handling of the matter and rejected criticism that he should have disqualified
himself because of his association with the accused.
That association had been professional and ended several years ago, Mr Dewar
said.
"I would challenge anyone to come forward and tell me what relationship I
have with those men. We don't socialise or go to each other's homes. We don't
call each other up."
Weekend Herald inquiries indicate that before Mr Dewar was appointed human
relations manager of
It is understood Mr Rickards may have been surprised to be called by
Mr Dewar was unsuccessful in an earlier bid for an administrative position with
the ambulance service.
St John Midland region board member Ken Williamson confirmed he was a friend of
Mr Dewar. They had known each other since childhood and he was pleased when he
heard of the appointment.
Mr Williamson said he mentioned this friendship to
Mr Williamson said Mr Dewar had mentioned he once worked with Mr Rickards, who
was then
Mr Dewar was selected by a management committee who included human relations
consultant Steve Saunders.
Mr Saunders said he could not be sure who gave references without checking
notes, but thought he had called "someone senior in the police".
Mr Jackson said Mr Dewar's appointment process was open and proper. He had not
dealt personally with Mr Dewar's referees and could not recall who they were.
He considered it inappropriate to say publicly who they were.
He also did not think it right to reveal what
But Mr Saunders said the hiring committee was unaware of the police tribunal
conviction and Mr Dewar's removal from command of Rotorua's
CIB. "That would have changed things quite a lot."
Mr Rickards declined to comment. His lawyer, John Haigh,
QC, issued this statement:
"Assistant Commissioner Rickards is the subject of two inquiries. He
reiterates that he has committed no offences but on legal advice is not
prepared to respond to media inquiries. Any relevant issues will be dealt with
in the course of those inquiries."
Mr Dewar is human relations manager for the St John Midland region, which
covers the
Mr Rickards was Waikato commander from 1999 until September 2001, when he
became Assistant Commissioner and moved to police national headquarters in