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Allegations
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The woman who accused
one of the country's top police officers of rape has revealed she has no
regrets about pursuing the case. Her comment came the
day after one of the country's most senior policemen walked free from the
High Court in Auckland after a three-week rape trial. Assistant police
commissioner Clint Rickards and former policemen Brad Shipton and Bob
Schollum were acquitted on all 20 sex charges against them on Friday
afternoon. Mrs Nicholas, through a
family friend, said she had no regrets about the case. She had claimed
Rickards, Shipton and Schollum had raped her and sexually abused her, once
with a police baton, while she was an 18-year-old in Rotorua in 1985 and
1986. A family spokesman said
Mrs Nicholas was "feeling as anyone would in her situation".
"She and the Nicholas family just want to thank family and friends for
their support and the hundreds and hundreds of ordinary New Zealanders who
sent cards and letters of support." There was anger from
the families of the men involved in the trial. As he was leaving the court,
Mr Rickards said he had strong concerns over the way the police investigation
was carried out. Mr Shipton's brother
Craig said yesterday the family planned to lodge a complaint with the Police
Complaints Authority. He said the trial was an attempt to prevent Mr Rickards
from becoming the first Maori Police Commissioner. "Certain people
did not want to see that happen. We don't know exactly who but we do know
some politicians waded into that." Prime Minister Helen
Clark was among those who made comments on the case. "The question which
is on everyone's mind is, what were the prevailing standards of police
behaviour where group sex with relatively young women was not considered a
matter of concern to the employer?" she asked. Ms Clark yesterday
dismissed accusations of interference. "The Government has no influence
on prosecutions." Mr Schollum's wife
Caron said she was delighted. Family and friends had celebrated after the
verdict. Rickards, 45, has been
suspended from the police on full pay since the inquiry began but discussions
about his future are expected to take time. Lawyer Dr Rob Moodie
said the suspension of Mr Rickards would not attract compensation as it did
for senior police officer Alec Waugh. After a successful
personal grievance claim in 2004, Superintendant Waugh was reinstated and
awarded $1 million for five years out of the police. "The opportunity
for that would be virtually zero," Mr Moodie told the Herald On Sunday. He said unless Mr
Rickards could show the police hierarchy had mishandled his case or that
prosecutors had fabricated information, he didn't have a case to argue
against his employers or the court. Deputy Commissioner Lyn
Provost said on Friday that talks would begin with Assistant Commissioner
Rickards over employment matters but the process could not be rushed. |
