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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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It has been an emotional
ending to the long trial of three men accused of raping and sexually
assaulting Louise Nicholas 20 years ago. Former police officers
Bob Schollum, Brad Shipton and Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards
have been found not guilty on 12 counts of rape and sexual assault by a jury
at the High Court in Auckland. Bob Schollum and Brad
Shipton cried as they were cleared, and Clint Rickards appeared close to
tears. There were also tears and hugs amongst friends and family members in
the public gallery. This was despite
Justice Tony Randerson's request that people keep their reactions to
themselves in deference to the jury which took 27 gruelling hours to make its
decision, just after 3pm. Family and friends of
the three men acquitted of rape in the Louise Nicholas trial at the High
Court in Auckland were overwhelmed at the decision. Brad Shipton's brother
Greg says the 27 hour wait for a verdict seemed more like ten years. Tears and exclamations
of "we did it" could be heard at the High Court in Auckland as
friends and relatives shared the good news. Louise Nicholas came in
just moment before the verdicts were delivered, and left immediately after
they had been announced, without talking to anyone. Members of Mr Rickards'
family told reporters they believed the case was politically motivated,
saying that if the charges had been levelled at, say, a plumber, no-one would
have paid any attention. Speaking in front of a
media scrum outside the High Court, Mr Rickards himself said the process had
been traumatic for his wife and whanau, who have helped pull him through. He
said without their support it would have been even more difficult. Newstalk ZB senior
reporter Maria Slade, who has covered the entire trial from the beginning,
says Crown lawyers were not commenting following the decision, but that
defence lawyers are elated. She says she is not
surprised at the verdict as there was a large amount of 'reasonable doubt'
throughout the evidence in this case. She says in the end, there was not
enough evidence against the men to convince a jury that they should be
convicted. Meanwhile Police
Headquarters says Clint Rickard's future employment will determined by due
process following his acquittal. He stepped down as an Assistant Commissioner
in February last year. Deputy Commissioner Lyn
Provost says police will commence discussions with his lawyer. She says it is
not a process which can be rushed. Deputy Commissioner
Provost says she will not speculate or prejudice the decision by making
public comment. |
