Waikato Times
March 1, 2004

Ex-cop on leave from St John during inquiry

A former top cop linked to police pack rape allegations has taken leave of absence from his job as St John Midlands human resource manager while a commission of inquiry is under way.

John Dewar was head of Rotorua's CIB when Louise Nicholas alleges she was pack raped by now assistant commissioner Clint Rickards, and former police officers Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum.

Mr Dewar was the man she told about the alleged rape and was in charge of investigating it.

An internal police inquiry into his handling of the case later found he failed to properly investigate it.

He has been working at St John as a human resource manager since April 2001.

On Friday he took leave of absence from his position at St John in Hamilton.

St John chief Jaimes Wood confirmed to the Times last month that Mr Dewar's appointment was met with concern from staff who forwarded letters to his Wellington office about his history. Since the allegations surfaced there have been more anonymous letters and staff concerns.

Mr Wood confirmed St John was not aware of an incident involving Mr Dewar where he was fined $500 and ordered to pay $4000 towards a police tribunal hearing after he was found guilty of using insulting language against a female police officer.

He asked a female detective "are you bonking one of the bosses or something?" during a dispute about her reasons for wanting to stay on an investigation.

Mr Wood said the incident concerned him.

The police investigation at the time attracted national headlines.

St John Midland chief executive Eddie Jackson said St John and Mr Dewar had come to a mutual agreement about his taking leave while the historic complaints were investigated.

He refused to say if Mr Dewar was being paid while the leave was taken but he said it was for an "indefinite period at this point in time until he has got these issues behind him".

Mr Jackson said there had been a lot of allegations and there were very serious implications. "He vehemently denies these things he's accused of."

He said there was a proper authority investigating the allegations and Mr Dewar was making sure it got his full attention.