Cop-scandal teens just want to get on with life

The teenagers whose allegations have sparked an investigation into what a judge called a "sick" culture in the police want to put the matter behind them, says a man close to the group.

This week, Senior Sergeant Anthony Laime Solomona was found guilty of assault.

Judge Bruce Davidson, delivering his verdict, condemned the heavy-handed techniques of some police and said the "sick" culture might be reasonably widespread, especially in South Auckland.

Solomona was found guilty of assaulting Angelo Turner, then aged 17, on the forecourt of a Manurewa service station in February last year. He had been arresting him on a charge of breaching the peace.

Solomona was acquitted on three other assault charges and one of assault with a weapon. A sixth charge was dismissed.

A source close to Mr Turner and his friends - a number of whom gave evidence at Solomona's trial - said the group faced an anxious wait until Solomona was sentenced.

He said Mr Turner felt the court system had let him down when it found Solomona guilty on only one of the six charges.

"Given that there were six charges against him and only one got through, it feels like a bit of a waste of time," said the source, the father of one of Mr Turner's friends.

A date for Solomona's sentencing will be set in the Manukau District Court next week. His lawyer, John Haigh, QC, is expected to ask for a discharge without conviction.

The man said the group had for a time harboured fears of retaliation from members of Solomona's team, but now they wanted to put the matter behind them and get on with life.

"It has taken a year out of their lives ... but they don't regret what they have done at this stage."

The father said Mr Turner and his friends wanted to keep a low profile until Solomona had been dealt with by the court.

Following the judge's criticisms of police practices, including a photograph of a 15-year-old boy wearing a sign that read, "I belong to Senior Sergeant Solomona", the police have started an investigation into the Wiri station in South Auckland and officers aligned to Solomona.

A spokesman for Police Minister George Hawkins said the investigation was a matter for the police. Mr Hawkins was satisfied the investigation was an appropriate response to the judge's comments.