Nicholas' flatmate unhappy with police version of her statement

Louise Nicholas

A former flatmate of Louise Nicholas says she was not happy with the way police reported her version of crucial events in the case.

Since 1995 the woman, who has name suppression, has made a series of statements to police about Mrs Nicholas' claims that Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards and former police officers Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum raped her.

The three face 20 charges including rape, indecent assault and sexual violation dating between 1985 and 1986.

The woman was quoted in a 1995 statement to Detective Inspector Rex Miller as saying both she and Mrs Nicholas had sex with the men and Mrs Nicholas "certainly wasn't saying no".

In a 2004 statement read to Justice Tony Randerson and the jury yesterday, she said she was not happy about how her words had been taken down. All she could say was that Mrs Nicholas was not "kicking and screaming".

In her first statement she admitted nothing - saying she did not even know the men, although the name Rickards was familiar. In her second statement she said she knew them. Both she and Mrs Nicholas had sex with them but she had hoped that by saying nothing it would go away because she was "embarrassed" about her past.

In the third statement, taken in 2004, she said she did not know why Mr Miller had worded things the way he had.

"I can see all they came round for was sex," her statement read.

"I have a memory of not wanting to be part of it. It could have been because I was getting the creeps from Brad. Brad was quite big back then.

"I have this recollection of them arriving and I went into my room and closed my door," she said.

On another occasion she remembered Shipton trying to "smooth-talk" her into having sex. She did not say no but he had smooth-talked her.

She said all she could say was Mrs Nicholas was not "kicking and screaming" the time she did see her having sex with one of the men. But she also said at that time in her life - she was 17 - she would not have been that perceptive.

She said Mr Miller had taken her words and made it sound like on one occasion she was lying beside Mrs Nicholas having sex with one of the men.

"That didn't happen like that and I don't know why Rex Miller worded it like that."

The woman did not remember Rickards being at the flat, but said she was not involved with him.

"I don't recall ever having sex with Clint Rickards. The problem is I could have and just don't want to remember it.

"I also don't know if they were coming around to have sex with Louise when I wasn't there."

Mrs Nicholas was not in court yesterday but members of her family gave evidence.

Statements made by the accused in 1995 are expected to be given today.