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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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Louise Nicholas
publicly showed her stockings to a man accused of raping her seven years
after the alleged attacks, a witness has said today. Mrs Nicholas was
laughing when she pulled up her bridesmaid's dress to reveal her lace stockings
to the man, the jury in the High Court at Auckland heard. Picton resident
Kerrianne Best was giving evidence in defence of former policeman Bob
Schollum, who is accused with Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards
and another former policeman, Brad Shipton. The trio are accused of
raping and sexually abusing Mrs Nicholas between September 1985 and January
1986 in Rotorua. They deny the charges. Miss Best, 38, a friend
of Schollum since 1991, said she was the matron of honour at the wedding of
Peter Crawford, Mrs Nicholas' brother in 1993. Schollum, a friend of
Mr Crawford's at the time, was the cameraman and driver. Miss Best said she
remembered watching Mrs Nicholas and Schollum laughing together during the
wedding party photographs at a park in Hastings. "Just as we were
finishing the photographs, Louise Nicholas and Bob were standing beside the
tree," Miss Best told the court. "We all wore
stockings and up the top there was a wide piece of lace elastic. Louise lifted
her skirt and showed Bob her lacey bit on her stocking." Miss Best said she
recalled the moment in the park after hearing the allegations Mrs Nicholas
had brought against Schollum. Schollum's defence
lawyer, Paul Mabey, QC, told the jury the issue for them was to determine Mrs
Nicholas' credibility. The trial is
continuing. |
