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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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The lawyer for
Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards says his client's case never should
have been brought. Assistant Commissioner
Rickards and his two former colleagues Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum have
been found not guilty on 20 charges of raping Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas
20 years ago. His lawyer, John Haigh
QC does not believe the case ever should have got to trial. He says he has
lived with the case, as has his client, for many years. Mr Haigh says there are
a few things he will say one day about the way the matter was dealt with by
police. Relief is being
expressed by another of the acquitted men, Bob Schollum. Mr Schollum faced one
charge of rape and four of indecent assault against Mrs Nicholas, relating to
events she claims occurred when he was a police officer in Rotorua 20 years
ago. His lawyer, Paul Mabey
QC, says Louise Nicholas has been making public allegations against Mr
Schollum for years and he has always denied them. However, he says the only
members of the public who count are the jurors, and they did not believe her. There has been an
emotional response from the wife of the third man. Outside the High Court at
Auckland, Sharon Shipton expressed her gratitude to the jury and says she
never doubted the men were innocent. |
