Nicholas' evidence 'chilling'

Louise Nicholas

The jury in the Louise Nicholas rape case has been urged by the Crown to remember the anguish and pain in the voice of Mrs Nicholas when she gave evidence against the three defendants last week.

Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards, 45, and former police officers Brad Shipton, 47, and Bob Schollum, 53, face 20 charges among them including the alleged rape, indecent assault and sexual violation of Louise Nicholas between 1985 and 1986.

In his closing statement to the High Court jury, Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway said that while the accused men said Mrs Nicholas was a liar and a serial false accuser of police officers, the Crown argued that at the time of the alleged incidents, she was an unfortunate teenager ill-equipped to deal with the predatory advances of the three men.

The Crown case hinged on Mrs Nicholas' testimony, which he described as "compelling and at times chilling".

"She was not an eloquent, cultured or educated person.

"She has a nuggety and down-to- earth personality and turn of phrase.

"That was no performance. That was a woman, in my submission, who had waited 20 years to face these three men in court and tell a jury what they had done to her."

He said the accused had traded on an "imbalance of power" and Mrs Nicholas had found it too hard to make a complaint.

"Louise Nicholas was effectively playdough in the accused's hands."

Defence suggestions that she was somehow revisiting a past she was embarrassed by were "untenable", he said, questioning why Mrs Nicholas would put herself through a trial and maintain her stance for 20 years.

"It just doesn't wash."

He said she might be mistaken in aspects, but the core of her recollections was consistent and had been since the allegations arose.

Defence suggestions that Mrs Nicholas had enjoyed media attention over the past two and half years were also denied.

Mr Stanaway told the jurors they should be unimpressed with Rickards' "extraordinary reluctance and dogmatic performance" when he gave evidence in his defence last week.

Mr Stanaway said Rickards' "mantras or chants" denying the allegations against him and repeatedly saying "Louise Nicholas is lying" were not the responses of a credible witness.

Picton resident Kerrianne Best, who was matron of honour at the wedding of Mrs Nicholas' brother in February 1993, was called to give evidence for Schollum yesterday before the defence finished its case.

She told his lawyer, Paul Mabey, QC, that she had seen Mrs Nicholas and Schollum laughing at the reception and Mrs Nicholas had pulled up her skirt showing Schollum the lacy top of her stockings.

Lawyers for the three defendants will give their own closing statements to the jury today, and Justice Tony Randerson is expected to sum up the case tomorrow.

- additional reporting: NZPA