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Waikato Times
October 16, 1996
Police admit mistakes in rape inquiry
by Kris McGehan
Police today admitted they made mistakes in the investigation of a complaint
of rape against a Hamilton
man.
The Police Complaints Authority today revealed it had upheld a complaint by Waikato University student Nick Wills against
the police who investigated the rape complaint made against him. Mr Wills
said he was branded a serial rapist and was harassed because of his arrest.
His complaint to the authority centred on his arrest in August last year for
the alleged rape of a fellow Waikato
University student. The
woman was later convicted of making a false statement.
He told the complaints authority that police had not checked his alibi at the
time, police medical evidence was inconsistent and there were "huge
flaws" in the woman's story.
In his decision, the deputy of the complaints authority Ewen Robertson said
there was a "neglect of duty" in the police inquiry prior to Mr
Wills' arrest.
Police had failed to check Mr Wills' alibi and there were concerns about the
use of an "inexperienced" doctor who was unfamiliar with police
procedures.
The officer handling the case, Detective Chris Scahill, had decided to arrest
Mr Wills without seeing photographs of the woman's injuries. Mr Scahill could
not be reached for comment today.
Assistant Police Commissioner Bruce Scott today said the incident was a
"regrettable" situation where an officer had taken a convincing
complaint in good faith.
He said the investigation could have been more vigorous, which would have
removed the obvious distress caused to Mr Wills, an innocent party. There
were no plans to take any more disciplinary action against Mr Scahill.
Mr Scott had also agreed the complaint should be upheld. But he said the
woman was both cunning and conniving and "clearly very convincing".
Mr Robertson said the ability of the woman to convince police was undoubtedly
a mitigating factor.
Mr Wills' mother Viv D'Or, who with her son lodged the complaint against
police, said the decision had vindicated Nick and it was a huge relief to
have the episode come to an end.
"It proves that the police were incompetent and they should have looked
more closely at the woman's story."
Mr Robertson said senior Hamilton
police had accepted that the officer handling the case had "fallen short
of the high standard expected of police in a situation such as this".
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