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Home / police allegations / Rickards,
Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 2 - 2007 Trial of
Rickards, Shipton, Schollum Week 2 |
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Crown prosecutors at the trial of suspended
assistant commissioner Clint Rickards say the wife of one of the men accused
of historic sex offences "jacked-up" evidence in the past few days,
in response to evidence given by the woman at the centre of the allegations. Rickards, 46, and former policemen
Brad Shipton, 48, and Bob Schollum, 54, have denied kidnapping and indecently
assaulting the then 16-year-old girl between November 1983 and August 1984. Sharon Shipton continued to be
cross-examined at the High Court in Mrs Shipton has said she and her
husband were on a month-long holiday to Wanganui and Wellington in February
1984, when it was alleged the offences took place. Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway
said at most the Shiptons had stayed for three or four days, not a month
which was a recent fabrication. Mr Stanaway said Mrs Shipton had
called her cousin, who she had stayed with during the holiday, for the first
time in years after the complainant had testified last week. Mrs Shipton had not had contact
with her cousin for many years and "then suddenly out of the blue you
ring her, after the complainant gives evidence", he said. "It had nothing to do with
the complainant giving evidence," Mrs Shipton replied. "You rang her to say that she
might be contacted by the police." "It was one of the
reasons." "After years of
silence," Mr Stanaway said. Mrs Shipton denied asking her
cousin about dates of the stay in February 1984. "I did ask if she recalled us
staying with her in the month of February." Mrs Shipton said she knew the
complainant had been giving "conflicting evidence" last week,
prompting Mr Stanaway to ask how she knew that. "Because I've been told by my
husband," she replied. When asked what Shipton had told
her about the woman's evidence, Mrs Shipton said her husband had told her
"I can't believe how these lies are being told". It was a conversation she said she
had almost daily for the past two years. Mr Stanaway asked what else her
husband had told her. "That he loved me." "And that you loved
him?" "Yes." "And that you would lie for
him." "No, I have never said I
would be prepared to lie for him." Mr Stanaway said her discussions
with her husband had impacted on her evidence. "This is a combined effort of
all three accused involved, in assisting you with the evidence you are
giving," he said. "Absolutely not, Mr
Stanaway," she replied. Under further questioning Mrs
Shipton maintained her grandmother had been admitted to a resthome in
Wanganui in February 1984, around the time the couple had visited. Mr Stanaway produced statements
from Mrs Shipton's father and uncle, along with hospital records stating her
grandmother had had a stroke and had been admitted to the resthome prior to
1984. When asked if she accepted she was
wrong and her grandmother had been admitted to the resthome as early as
December 1982 , Mrs Shipton said she did not. Mr Stanaway said a letter sent
last week by Rickards' lawyer John Haigh to Wanganui Hospital asking for the
woman's health records showed how the defence team were working as one. After a recess a statement was
read out to the jury, saying the crown accepted the letter from Mr Haigh was
sent out without his knowledge and Mr Haigh only knew it about it after it
was sent and he had told his secretary it was entirely
"inappropriate". Mr Stanaway asked at what point
she had decided she would give evidence about the holiday in Wanganui in
February, 1984. "I did not decide, it was in
conjunction with my husband's lawyer." Mr Stanaway repeated to her that
at most the Shiptons had stayed for a week in Wanganui. "I know you put that Mr
Stanaway, I totally reject it." "This evidence of a month
away from Rotorua is just a jack-up," he replied. "A recent fabrication on your
behalf, after hearing the evidence of the complainant," he said. The "jack-up has only been
implemented in the last few days," he said. "Mr Stanaway the statements
you have put to me are the jack-up." "At any time have you come
forward to the police or crown, to say "my husband was in Wanganui in
February 1984 for most of the month"?" he asked. Mrs Shipton replied: "I would
never approach the Operation Austin [police investigating historic sexual
allegations] team or crown to assist in any way. "I've seen, read and heard
what is the most shameful, unethical, unprofessional conduct of that team. "I would never approach them
to talk to them." Mrs Shipton said she knew when she
testified on Thursday the investigation team would have been "running
around, possibly the world trying to prove I am a liar. I am not." Under re-examination by Shipton's
lawyer Bill Nabney, Mrs Shipton said she would not admit she was wrong about
when her grandmother had been admitted to the resthome. The trial adjourned early and is
expected to continue tomorrow morning with two more crown witnesses. Schollum has elected not to call
witnesses. |
