KEY POINTS:
Brad Shipton has denied Parole Board claims of his "confession" over the brutal pack rape of a woman at Mount Maunganui more than 20 years ago.
In a statement issued through his lawyer Bill Nabney yesterday, the former police officer - who is three years into an eight-year prison sentence - rejected "scurrilous and misleading" suggestions he had confessed to raping the woman.
Mr Nabney said Shipton maintained that "sexual contact" with the complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been consensual - and that no rape had ever taken place.
Shipton had accepted his behaviour back then had been "immoral", but never was there anything in his remarks to the Parole Board last week to suggest he had confessed to raping the woman, Mr Nabney said.
Shipton was reacting yesterday to the release over the weekend of a Parole Board decision in which panel convenor Judge Carolyn Henwood claimed there had been an acknowledgement of guilt by Shipton for what had occurred in 1989.
In the written decision, Judge Henwood says that Shipton's response to numerous questions "seemed to confirm all the ingredients of a rape".
Shipton had said his whole life had been "full of disgraceful, disgusting behaviour" and he was aware of the fact he had ruined his victim's life.
"He acknowledged he should not have put her in that position and he should not have taken his colleague Mr [Bob] Schollum along with him. He acknowledged that she was possibly intimidated by them.
"He confirmed that he did not ask the complainant if it was okay to have sex with her or for more than one person to have sex with her."
Parole Board spokeswoman Sonja de Friez said it stood by its decision.
"The decision is a legal document, written by a senior Judge, and a panel of professionals. As with every Parole Board decision it should be read in its entirety."
The hearings are recorded and transcripts can be made available, she said.
However, Shipton's mother, Lorraine - who attended the hearing - said her son's comments had been taken out of context. The family was now taking legal advice.
She said her son was obviously genuinely remorseful for aspects of his behaviour two decades ago, but had never confessed to rape.
"He knows the hurt he has caused his family through his actions, but never for one minute do we believe there was anything illegal in what he did," she said. "Contrition is hardly a confession."
Brad Shipton's brother, Greg, told the Herald yesterday he was angry at comments by Louise Nicholas that Shipton's remarks may have been a cynical ploy to manipulate the board into granting him an early release from prison.
Suggestions her case should be retried on the basis of this nonsense so-called confession were so utterly ridiculous they couldn't be taken seriously, Mr Shipton said.
Since being convicted in 2005 Shipton has only spoken once publicly about the events of nearly 20 years ago. In that interview, he said he deeply regretted doing things he was "ashamed" of, adding that he had lost everything as a result.
