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Allegations of abuse
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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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The jury has retired to consider
its verdict in the trial of suspended assistant police commissioner Clint
Rickards and former policemen Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum. The trio is accused of kidnapping
and indecently assaulting a 16-year-old in 1984. Justice Judith Potter told
the jury they must concentrate only on the evidence in court and disregard
anything they have heard in the media or from other people. She reminded the
jury the men are charged separately and if they believe one of the accused is
guilty, it does not necessarily mean the others are. The Crown wrapped up its case in
the High Court in Auckland yesterday. It recalled Shipton's wife Sharon to
cross-examine her on evidence that she and her husband were on a month-long
holiday in Wanganui with her cousin Christine Filer when the offences
allegedly took place. Prosecutor Brent Stanaway then called Ms Filer to the
stand. She told the court she could not remember the Shiptons being with her
in Wanganui at the time. Mrs Filer also told the court she had spoken to Mrs
Shipton on the phone from Perth last week and was told the police might call
and that she did not have to answer any questions. Mrs Shipton had believed
Ms Filer would be a witness for the defence. Bob Schollum's defence lawyer Paul
Maybey QC distanced his client from Sharon Shipton's evidence in his closing
address this morning. He said Sharon Shipton was not giving evidence on
behalf of Schollum, and the jury must treat the case as three separate
trials. He went on to add how convenient it is the complainant can not
remember where the alleged attack occurred, or how she got there. |
