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Home / police allegations / Rickards,
Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 4 - Initial Reaction to
Not Guilty Verdict |
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by Patrick Gower
As Clint Rickards strode from the courtroom,
his plan was to take back his command of He did not know police national
headquarters had already shut the door on him. Cleared of all charges after three
years of investigations and trials, suspended Assistant Commissioner
Rickards' first public words yesterday were: "I was a police officer
three years ago, and I am a police officer today." Asked by the Herald if that meant
he would return to work at the Auckland Central police station on Monday, he
replied: "I'm the district commander for Mr Rickards did not know that
minutes after the verdict, police national headquarters issued a statement
staying he would remain suspended on a base salary understood to be between
$150,000 and $159,000 a year while "employment issues" were worked
through. Outside the court, Mr Rickards
widened the rift between him and his superiors by attacking the Operation
Austin investigation they ordered into police sex crimes after Louise Nicholas
went public with her allegations in 2004. "It was an investigation I
would have been ashamed to have led." Mr Rickards' wife, Tania Eden,
clutched his right arm and tried to calm him as he went further before an
audience of television crews and reporters and attacked the officers who
worked on it. "It was a shambles. And the
police there need to be held accountable. The Mr Rickards also defended his
co-accused, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum, revealed yesterday as convicted
rapists after a suppression order on their jailing for the rape of a woman in
Mt Maunganui in 1989 was lifted. "They shouldn't be where they
are," Mr Rickards said, again blaming the Operation Austin
investigators. "Brad Shipton is a good
friend. Bob Schollum is a good friend. They are still good friends of mine
and always will be." When Mr Rickards was asked if he
thought group sex was an appropriate activity for a serving police officer,
his lawyer, John Haigh, QC, interrupted, saying the question was irrelevant
and "half of During his defence against
criminal charges relating to Mrs Nicholas, Mr Rickards admitted having
consensual group sex with her and Brad Shipton while the two men were police
officers in Rotorua the 1980s. Mr Rickards, who lived with his
then partner and two children in Rotorua at the time, told the court last
year that sex with Mrs Nicholas was a "happy occasion". "We laughed, we giggled. It
was just a normal sexual relationship." Mr Rickards' defence against the
charges of which he was acquitted yesterday was that he had never met the
complainant. He initially paused when asked how
he felt about the woman, who has name suppression, saying, "Those
thoughts best be kept internally". But he then attacked the woman and
included Mrs Nicholas saying: "She's a liar. They both are liars. And
they have been proven to be liars over the last three years." Mr Haigh advised Mr Rickards not
to comment when he was asked if the Operation Austin investigation was
politically influenced. And he did not answer questions
about his views on Prime Minister Helen Clark, who passed him over for the
job of deputy police commissioner seven years ago after hearing he had been
investigated for sexual misconduct. He had had a remarkable rise
through the police ranks from undercover officer to assistant commissioner in
charge of
Ms Eden was also a police officer
when the allegations surfaced, but has since resigned to take a job with Work
and Income on the East Coast. She said she and her husband still
admired the police, having served a combined total of almost 50 years in the
force, but she would not comment when asked if the allegations against Mr
Rickards had ruined her career as well. Mr Rickards said yesterday:
"The police is a great organisation, and I'd recommend it to
anyone", but tempered this with the rider that "questions need to
be asked from the leadership down". Asked if he really believed the
police would welcome him back, Mr Rickards said again: "I'm the district
commander of * It is understood Mr Rickards has
been dividing his time between The couple have "a blended
family of five", including Willie Rickards, a wing for the Southland
rugby team, who has been on leave from the Highlanders Super 14 squad. Clint Rickards is completing a
doctorate in business studies and a diploma in Maori development. He said yesterday his priority now
was to rebuild his family life, which had been destroyed by the allegations
and stress of the court cases.
A senior officer in the "It would be very difficult
for the police to reinstate Clint Rickards in The officer added there were bound
to be some tensions from the staff, who would have mixed and varying views of
Rickards. He said the public was also
clearly divided over the verdict and that left the Police Commissioner in a
difficult position as he would be criticised no matter what decision was
made. Instead, it is believed Rickards will end up in a job at police
headquarters in "Rickards is under a
different contract to rank and file staff so the commissioner has got a bit
more flexibility with him," said the officer. Employment lawyer Peter Cullen
told Close Up last night that Mr Rickards had made a gaffe by criticising the
police investigation following the trial. "He made a very bad start
strategically if he does want to go back to work," he said. Waikato Police district commander
Superintendent Kelvin Powell was suspended from his job after he was accused
in 2004 of raping a policewoman in 1984. He returned to the position after
being acquitted of the charges in 2005 but it is understood he is being
transferred to Detective Superintendent Gavin
Jones has been the acting commander of the - |
