|
Allegations of abuse by
NZ Police |
|
|
peterellis homepage / police allegations / Louise
Nicholas vs John Dewar |
|
|
RAPED? Louise Nicholas leaves the
High Court in Hamilton after giving evidence in the trial of former Rotorua
CIB chief John Dewar, who is facing charges of conspiracy to pervert the
course of justice Former Rotorua CIB boss John Dewar
knew an alleged sexual assault on Louise Nicholas with a police baton was not
consensual, but told her "the past is the past", a court was told. Dewar, 55, has denied four counts
of attempting to obstruct or defeat the course of justice in relation to
Nicholas' claims of sexual offending against her by police in the 1980s. The first charge relates to
allegations Dewar failed to take a statement from Nicholas about claims she
was raped by Clint Rickards, now the suspended assistant police commissioner,
and former police officers Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton at a house at
Rutland Street, Rotorua, in the 1980s. Dewar is also alleged to have
twice given hearsay evidence at trials of another police officer accused of
indecently assaulting Nicholas in Murupara when she was aged about 14, both
times causing mistrials. The officer was acquitted at a
third trial and given permanent name suppression. The fourth charge relates to a
statement Dewar had Nicholas sign as part of an investigation into his involvement
in the two aborted trials. A jury in the High Court in
Hamilton yesterday was told how in early 2004, after being approached by
investigative journalist Philip Kitchin, Nicholas confronted Dewar in
Hamilton outside a St John Ambulance building where he worked. She was wearing a hidden
microphone and was secretly filmed while talking to Dewar. During the conversation Dewar
admitted he knew the alleged incident involving Rickards, Shipton and
Schollum and a police baton was non-consensual. "I certainly know that the
part regarding the baton wasn't consensual. It would be hard to understand
why you would consent to that," Dewar was heard saying on the tape. However, Dewar said "the past
was the past", and urged Nicholas to be careful about her dealings with
the journalist. "I have my suspicions it may
just aggravate an old wound," he said. |
