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Allegations of abuse
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Home / police allegations / Rickards,
Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 6 - Further Reaction to
Not Guilty Verdict |
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Helen Clark has stepped up the pressure
against Clint Rickards' return as Miss Clark's comments make it
almost impossible for Mr Rickards to hold a position of authority without
undermining Government support for the police. That was underlined yesterday when
National Party leader John Key and Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard spoke out
against Mr Rickards' reinstatement. Miss Clark said she would not
comment on the future of an individual because Mr Rickards' future, following
his acquittal on all charges against him, was an employment matter between
him and the police. "I believe the police will
want to be very careful in following the proper process on this." Mr Key called for Mr Rickards to
leave the force. Mr Rickards had criticised the police inquiry, and said Brad
Shipton and Bob Schollum, who were convicted of a separate rape in 1989,
should not be in prison. "It is hard to believe he has
faith in the judicial process or that the public have faith in him," Mr
Key said. Miss Clark said she was appalled
by what she had read during the trials of Mr Rickards and former policemen
Shipton and Schollum. "While there may be a legal
meaning to the term consent, I have to question whether there can be any
genuine consent when you have police officers in a position of responsibility
in a community engaging in group sex with a teenage girl," she said. "In my opinion no reasonable
person would think ... there are really issues of consent here." Shipton, Schollum and Mr Rickards
were acquitted last week of charges of kidnapping and indecent assault of a
16-year-old girl more than 20 years ago. Last year they were acquitted of sex
charges against Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas. Asked about Mr Rickards' four
promotions, after police became aware of claims against him, Miss Clark said:
"The mind boggles." Shipton and Schollum are in prison
for the rape of a Mt Maunganui woman 18 years ago, but this was not revealed
to the jury in last week's case. Miss Clark said she favoured the
Law Commission considering whether the rules of evidence should allow juries
to be told about prior convictions. A report into police culture by
Dame Margaret Bazley, which was put on hold during the trials, would be
issued in a few weeks. Miss Clark said a minority in the
police clearly indulged in actions that were completely unacceptable. "I do feel extremely sorry for
the overwhelming majority of good hardworking cops who totally deserve the
faith the community puts in them." A group of women who handed out
flyers last year containing suppressed information about the Louise Nicholas
trial are organising a march in |
