Policeman cleared of sexual violation

A Tauranga policeman has been acquitted of sexual violation following a seven-day jury trial.

Senior Constable Fredrick John Follas, 44, was found not guilty of having inappropriately touched a female prisoner with a bar of soap and then his fingers in the shower block at Tauranga police station.

The allegation arose at the same time Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas went public with her accusation that she was raped by three policemen in 1986.

It took the jury 70 minutes to decide Mr Follas was innocent.

Summing-up, Crown prosecutor Jonathan Temm told the jury to find Mr Follas guilty because he had time on the morning of February 5 last year to commit the offence.

Mr Follas had also built up a strong enough relationship with the woman that week in the cell block that he was willing to risk she would not make a complaint.

The jury was asked not to be influenced by the woman's lifestyle and criminal history.

However, the defence asked the jury to be realistic about the circumstances the alleged offence took place in.

They were reminded how busy Mr Follas was that morning looking after eight male prisoners as well as the 22-year-old woman, whose name was suppressed.

After the verdict, Justice Colin Nicholson told Mr Follas he was free to go.

"You have been through an ordeal. It's over now," he said.

- NZPA