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 Nelson Mail March 2 2007 Rickards to remain suspended from force Suspended Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards has vowed to be back at work soon, but he faces an uphill battle winning back the support of frontline police and the public. Employment law expert Peter Cullen said Mr Rickards, acquitted yesterday in a second police sex case alongside former colleagues Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton, had been "very unwise'' to publicly label the investigation and prosecution effort against him a shambles. Outside court after the verdict was read, Mr Rickards said Operation Austin was ``a shambles and a poorly run operation''. This criticism was directed at members of the same police force he says he wishes to return to. Mr Rickards has been paid more than $600,000 since he was stood down three years ago, continuing to receive police perks while studying law at Auckland University. Estimated to be earning about $200,000 a year, he was stood down in February 2004 - following allegations by Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas. He will remain suspended while police sort through employment issues. Deputy Police Commissioner Rob Pope said this would take ``some time'' but police would move as quickly as possible. Mr Rickards revealed yesterday that he had spent more than $500,000 defending himself on sex charges. Mr Rickards, who holds a master's degree in public policy from Sydney's Charles Sturt University, owns a $800,000 Hawke's Bay home, but has been reportedly studying law at Auckland University. But while Mr Rickards was free to leave the court yesterday, his co-accused returned to prison where they are both serving jail terms for rape. They were convicted in 2005 for the rape and kidnapping of a 20-year-old woman at Mt Maunganui 18 years ago. Mr Rickards' lawyer, John Haigh QC, told National Radio today his client's friendship with Shipton and Schollum should not affect his chance of returning to work as Auckland's top cop. "I don't know if one can be tainted completely by friendships -- on that basis a lot of us wouldn't have jobs.'' Mr Haigh said as Mr Rickards was cleared of the rape and kidnapping charges he should not have to prove himself innocent to the public or police. Mr Haigh said there had never before been a complaint against Mr Rickards' work by the public, and if he returned to his job women should be confident in him despite his claim to still be friends with convicted rapists.