Nothing left of Dougherty's $800k

David Dougherty was awarded the compensation for wrongful imprisonment nine years ago. Photo / Brett Phibbs

He was awarded $800,000 in compensation for wrongful imprisonment just nine years ago.

Now David Dougherty, 43, is in court again facing accusations he stole meat, beer, socks, DVDs and underwear.

The money he was paid in compensation is gone - some in legal fees but most given to family.

Dougherty said yesterday: "I need to get help for myself."

He is due back in court next month charged with the burglary of a Palmerston North house.

Dougherty served more than three years in jail during the 1990s after being convicted of the abduction and rape of an Auckland schoolgirl.

He was released from prison in 1997 after a campaign by a crusading Sunday newspaper journalist, a lawyer and a scientist - a story retold last year in the movie Until Proven Innocent.

After a four-year battle with politicians, Dougherty was paid $800,000 in 2001 as compensation for wrongful imprisonment.

Yesterday, the Herald on Sunday spoke to the couple whose home was allegedly broken into.

Residents Cameron Nicol and Rebecca Quinn - who is due to have the couple's first baby tomorrow - said they came home on October 1 to find a side door jemmied open.

"We just got back from my girlfriend's grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary," Nicol said.

"I was looking in the window and Rebecca saw a man running down the driveway with two bags of stuff."

Nicol said he reported to police that 12 pairs of socks, a pair of boxer shorts, five DVDs, about $40 worth of meat and a dozen beer had been taken.

The DVDs included three Harry Potter films and Boy. The beer and meat were dropped during the chase.

A warrant was issued for Dougherty's arrest when he failed to appear in the Palmerston North District Court.

Defence lawyer Simon Hewson said Dougherty had confused the dates and was at work. Dougherty left work and signed a new bail bond. He is due to reappear in court on Tuesday.

Two years after compensation was paid, Nicholas Reekie was sent to prison over multiple rape charges, including against the schoolgirl over which Dougherty was charged.

Murray Gibson, the lawyer who fought for Dougherty's acquittal, was upset about the new charge. He said he received a "modest amount" for his legal work.

Gibson said Dougherty gave a large portion of the compensation to his family, and purchased a house for himself and his long-term partner Joann Atutolu. Property records show the couple do not own the house they live in.

Award-winning journalist Donna Chisholm, who campaigned for Dougherty's retrial, said the new charge was "very sad".

"I don't know what the circumstances are but it's heartbreaking," she said.

Chisholm once wrote she had seen Dougherty's "mental disintegration" brought on by the "highs and lows of the case" in the six years from his release to compensation being paid.

She had not seen Dougherty for a number of years but had spoken to him sporadically.

They spoke last year about Dougherty doing interviews when Until Proven Innocent was released.

"He wanted to keep out of the limelight.

"He always wanted that."

Criminologist Greg Newbold doubted Dougherty's recent alleged offending was the result of what he went through when he was wrongfully imprisoned.

"You can't put it down to a period of being unsettled when you first come out, because he came out so long ago," he said.