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Allegations of Sexual
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A former policeman accused of covering up an alleged
police rape has argued in a failed employment grievance claim that unnecessary-work
restrictions were placed on him following publcity of the issue, Former Rotorua CIB police chief John Dewar, now resources
manager for Hamilton-based St John Midland, was accused by Rotorua woman
Louise Nicholas last year of covering up her complaints in the 1980s that she
was raped by police officers. When the news broke January last year, Mr Dewar
and St John Midland chief executive Eddie Jackson agreed he should take leave
on full pay until a commission of inquiry into police conduct, which arose from
Mrs Nicholas' claims, was completed. Though the leave was consensual, Mr Dewar later complained
to the Employment Relations Authority about four matters. He claimed his employer ran a "flawed
inquiry" into the loss of his employment records. He said a full investigation
would have cleared him of any wrong-doing. Mr Dewar also complained that restrictions placed
on his return to work in November last year following the adjournment of the
commission of inquiry were unnecessary as he had not been suspended. St John Midland believed restrictions were needed
because some staff, women in particular, no longer trusted Mr Dewar as a
result of media reports and judicial comment and objected to him exercising
his duties as human resources manager. He also claimed management failed to address concerns
about the restrictions raised in a letter dated October 2004 and that a
written warning was not legitimate. In her ruling, authority member Yvonne Oldfield said
she was satisfied St John Midland did all it could to assist Mr Dewar,
including giving him nine months' leave on full pay with the use of a car. Restrictions put in place on his return and the
delay in his return were "reasonable and justified" in ensuring the
rights of Mr Dewar and other staff were balanced. The warning was also justified.
- Dominion Post |
