Allegations of abuse by NZ Police
	peterellis Home / police allegations / Rickards, Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 4 - Initial Reaction to Not Guilty Verdict
	The Dominion Post March 2 2007 Case history 2004 January 31: The Dominion Post reveals allegations by Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas that she was raped by three police when she was a teenager in the mid-1980s. February 1: Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards stood down on full pay as investigation launched into allegations against him and former colleagues Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton. February 3: The Government announces commission of inquiry into police handling of rape claims. After repeated delays it is due to report on March 31. 2005: March 16: The three are arrested and charged, though suppression orders prevent publication of charges. June 20: Shipton, Schollum and two other men go on trial in the High Court at Wellington charged with raping a woman in Mt Maunganui in January 1989. The names of Schollum and Shipton could not be published. The Louise Nicholas case was mentioned as background during the case but the jury were told to disregard anything they may have heard outside court. July 5: Shipton and Schollum are found guilty. July 25. Suppression order lifted to reveal Rickards, Shipton and Schollum face charges of rape and sexual and indecent assault in relation to Louise Nicholas. August 5: Shipton is sentenced to 8 1/2 years jail and Schollum to eight years in the Mt Maunganui case. September 1: The Louise Nicholas trial venue shifted from Rotorua to Auckland, though reason for change suppressed. 2006: March 13: On day one of Louise Nicholas trial Rickards, Schollum and Shipton enter not guilty pleas to all charges. March 31: After the jury deliberates for 27 hours the three are acquitted on all 20 charges . May 25: The Dominion Post wins court battle to reveal that the three face a further trial over allegations of sexual offending against another woman in the 1980s. 2007: February 19: Trial begins against the three charged with kidnapping by confinement and one charge each of indecent assault. March 1: They are acquitted on all charges.