Otago Daily Times
February 17, 2004
Judge and public servant named to head rape inquiry
by Ian Llewellyn, of NZPA
Wellington: A High
Court judge and a former senior public servant will conduct a Commission of
Inquiry into historic allegations of rape by police.
Prime Minister Helen Clark announced yesterday that Justice Bruce Robertson and
Dame Margaret Bazley would head the inquiry, which is
expected to report back in November.
The independent inquiry was ordered following Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas'
allegation she was pack-raped in the 1980s by police officers Clint Rickards,
Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton.
Mr Rickards, now an assistant commissioner in charge of
All three men have strongly denied the allegations.
Since then, other women have come forward and said they were victims of sex
attacks and expressed unhappiness about how the police investigated their
complaints.
In the latest development,
Mr Powell has refused to comment.
Ms Clark said she expected the inquiry to be heard in public but the terms of
reference, staffing and budget details were still subject to final drafting.
The commission would inquire into police conduct and procedure when dealing
with sexual assault allegations made against the police.
"It will also look into police standards and codes in relation to police
personal behaviour, including sexual conduct," Ms Clark said.
The commission would not be able to review the Police Complaints Authority's
investigation of complaints because of secrecy laws, but it would be able to
look at the police work that formed the basis of the authority's report.
Ms Clark defended the length of time for the report, saying it was best done
properly to ensure the public could have confidence in the police.
Justice Robertson presided over the second trial of David Dougherty, which
cleared him of the rape of an 11-year-old girl, for which he had been wrongly
convicted.
Dame Margaret had a long public service career, including stints as social
development ministry chief executive and transport secretary.