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Home / police allegations / Rickards,
Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 3 - 2007 Trial of
Rickards, Shipton, Schollum - Verdict Not Guilty |
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NOT OVER:
Greg Shipton, brother of Brad Shipton, says that despite the verdict there
are a number of issues to be tackled regarding how the police conducted the
investigation UPDATED REPORT: The "three-year persecution" of Assistant
Police Commissioner Clint Rickards was a political move to prevent a Maori
taking the top job, says the brother of one of three men acquitted of
historic sex crimes. "I believe the persecution
was to prevent him from becoming the first Maori commissioner of
police," said Brad Shipton's brother Greg. "(Prime Minister) Helen
Clark, the Police Association and police hierarchy need to right some wrongs
handed out to Mr Rickards." Mr Rickards was also scathing of
the police yesterday. "It was an investigation I
would have been ashamed to have led. It was a shambles," he said outside
the High Court at Mr Rickards said he was looking
forward to getting back to work as soon as possible at Auckland Central Police
Station "where I am the district commander and have been for the last
three years". Sunday Star-Times assistant editor
Miriyana Alexander has been talking exclusively to Rickards during his
three-year ordeal facing sexual assault charges, the results of which will
appear in the paper this Sunday. In selected extracts from the
interviews Rickards revealed deputy police commissioner Steve Long was sent
to see him several days before The Dominion Post in 2004 published Louise
Nicholas' allegations that Rickards, Bob Schollum and Shipton had raped her.
It was suggested he consider resigning. Rickards was gobsmacked:
"What happened to innocent until proven guilty?" The three denied Mrs Nicholas'
claims and were acquitted on all charges. "I'm not proud of my
behaviour, but I've done nothing illegal. I did things I'm ashamed of given I
was in a relationship and had two young kids, but I'm no rapist,"
Rickards told the Sunday Star-Times. Looking back at his behaviour in
Rotorua, does he consider that policemen having group sex was an abuse of
their power? "I think that if you say
that, it's degrading to women. We are talking about consensual sex - I could
have been Joe IRD or Joe Fireman." "I don't think our (police)
culture is any different now to back then. The difference is that in the 80s
the focal point for a lot of police was the police bar, but that's not the
case now ? there's all sorts of cafes, bars and nightclubs that police go
to." His lawyer, John Haig, QC, said Mr
Rickards had done nothing wrong and should still have a future in the force. "He is a man of considerable
ability, great mana, great skills, but he is focused on remaining in the
police in that same role," he said. "He ... sees it as something
he has to overcome and continue in his career. Mr Rickards said the experiences
of the past three years had "drained" both him and his family.
"It has destroyed our family life for the last three years ... It has
been devastated." His wife, Tania, said she was relieved by the not
guilty verdict. "We're just an ordinary Kiwi
family that want our lives back," she said. Police Association head Greg
O'Connor said the verdict spoke for itself. He did not believe the cases had
irrevocably stained the reputation of police. Police Managers' Guild head
Inspector Rob Abbott said the historic sex crime cases had damaged the
reputation of police, but he would not comment on whether it would ever be
feasible for the suspended Mr Rickards to return to active duty. A spokeswoman for Prime Minister
Helen Clark said she would be making no comment on the verdicts. A spokesman
for Police Minister Annette King said she would not comment either because of
the employment matters relating to Mr Rickards. Meanwhile, the families and
friends of Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum - both in custody - gathered in a
circle outside the courtroom, tears streaming down their faces as they said a
prayer of thanks and gratitude and sang How Great Thou Art. Sharon Shipton, the wife of
co-accused Brad Shipton and a key defence witness, said the whole family was
"thrilled" with the decision. "Brad is delighted with the
outcome, it is the right outcome." Bob Schollum's brother, Paul, said
he never doubted his brother's innocence but said the not guilty verdict was
"a huge relief for our family". Greg Shipton, a former police
officer himself, said despite yesterday's verdict, it was "not
over". "There have been tactics
pulled by the police that are way outside the normal playing field and some
of these will come up in the future. "We're not happy with how the
police have conducted the investigation." |
