|
Waikato Times
October 17, 1996
Rape claim victim hits back at police
by Kris McGehan
Nick Wills is no rapist. Everyone knows that -- now.
Yet some of the stigma remains from a harrowing tale of sex, lies and deceit
the 22-year-old Waikato
University student has
endured in the past year.
This week a Police Complaints Authority report vindicated his claims that
police should not have charged him with rape last year.
He has also paid off $27,000 legal bills with a combined compensation deal of
$30,000 from the police and his former employer, the Bryant Hall Trust Board.
Mr Wills took the trust board to the Employment Court after he was sacked,
during the investigation into the rape complaint, as deputy warden of the
university hostel.
"The most important part of all this has been the very bad handling of
the case by the police. I know that my accuser was very convincing -- I'm not
disputing that.
"But the fact is that they (the police) didn't do their job properly. I
wasn't going to let them get away with it."
In August last year he was arrested for the alleged rape of another student
in the hostel.
The woman was later convicted of making a false statement to police. Mr Wills
was cleared of charges of rape and threatening to kill.
But he still calls the three months he spent under suspicion "pure
hell" for which he cannot be compensated.
"Let this be a reminder to the police," Mr Wills said. "I hope
some good comes out of it."
In his decision, Police Complaints Authority deputy chief Ewen Robertson said
there was a "neglect of duty" in the police inquiry prior to Mr
Wills' arrest.
Police failed to check Mr Wills' alibi and he agreed with concerns about the
use of an "inexperienced" doctor.
The officer handling the case, Detective Chris Scahill, decided to arrest Mr
Wills without seeing photographs of the woman's injuries. Mr Scahill could
not be reached for comment.
--------------------
CAPTION: VINDICATION: Waikato law student Nick Wills reflects on the
"pure hell" he endured while under investigation for rape. PICTURE:
Stephen Barker
|
