Nicholas showed rape accused her stocking, court hears

Clint Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum deny rape and sexual assault.

Louise Nicholas publicly showed her stockings to a man accused of raping her seven years after the alleged attacks, a witness has said today.

Mrs Nicholas was laughing when she pulled up her bridesmaid's dress to reveal her lace stockings to the man, the jury in the High Court at Auckland heard.

Picton resident Kerrianne Best was giving evidence in defence of former policeman Bob Schollum, who is accused with Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards and another former policeman, Brad Shipton.

The trio are accused of raping and sexually abusing Mrs Nicholas between September 1985 and January 1986 in Rotorua. They deny the charges.

Miss Best, 38, a friend of Schollum since 1991, said she was the matron of honour at the wedding of Peter Crawford, Mrs Nicholas' brother in 1993.

Schollum, a friend of Mr Crawford's at the time, was the cameraman and driver.

Miss Best said she remembered watching Mrs Nicholas and Schollum laughing together during the wedding party photographs at a park in Hastings.

"Just as we were finishing the photographs, Louise Nicholas and Bob were standing beside the tree," Miss Best told the court.

"We all wore stockings and up the top there was a wide piece of lace elastic. Louise lifted her skirt and showed Bob her lacey bit on her stocking."

Miss Best said she recalled the moment in the park after hearing the allegations Mrs Nicholas had brought against Schollum.

Schollum's defence lawyer, Paul Mabey, QC, told the jury the issue for them was to determine Mrs Nicholas' credibility.

The trial is continuing.

- NZPA