Court hears details of alleged rape by policemen

Clint Rickards, Bradley Shipton and Robert Schollum (left to right) deny the charges.

A jury of seven women and five men has been given graphic details about how three policemen allegedly raped and sexually abused a woman in Rotorua more than 20 years ago.

One of the men is now Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards. He and two others were all serving police officers in Rotorua when they used their physical size and the fact they were policemen to force her into having sex, the High Court at Auckland was told today.

Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh told the jury that Louise Nicholas never consented to sex but when she told the three men that, it made no difference.

The three men -- Rickards and former policemen Bradley Keith Shipton and Robert Francis Schollum -- face 20 charges of rape and sexual abuse including the use of a police baton. They deny all the charges.

Mr Rickards was not wearing his police uniform when he appeared in court today, Newstalk ZB reported.

Mr Zarifeh told the court in his opening address today the men used their size and overbearing manner to prevent resistance.

He said during one session she was taken into the bedroom by all three men. She knew what was going to happen and told them she did not want to do it. "By this time she was very scared," Mr Zarifeh said.


However, the three men's defence lawyers said in their opening statements that the incidents Ms Nicholas alleges took place simply did not occur.


The court heard graphic details of the alleged sexual activity, including oral sex and the use of the baton. "She reacted in fear, swearing at them and telling them there was no way they were going to use that on her," Mr Zarifeh said.

"She was crying out," Mr Zarifeh said. She then heard Schollum say "that's enough" and he told her to have a shower.

Schollum took her home and as she got out of the car he apologised, the court heard.

Ms Nicholas is likely to be one of the first prosecution witnesses.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB