Suppression orders lifted in police pack rape case

Judge Chris McGuire lifted suppression orders which had prevented sexual assault allegations being reported. Picture / Rotorua Daily Post

A series of suppression orders surrounding a case in which one of New Zealand's highest ranking police officers and two former policemen are accused of serious sexual assaults was lifted today.

Judge Chris McGuire relaxed earlier restrictions on reporting any details of the allegations when a depositions hearing into claims of pack rape began in Rotorua District Court today.

Assistant Commissioner Clinton John Tukotahi Rickards, 44, Bradley Keith Shipton, 47, and Robert Francis Schollum, 53, are facing charges of rape, indecent assault and sexual violation.

Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas, who has waived her right to anonymity, alleges that in 1986 at the age of 18 she had sex against her will with Shipton and Rickards between six and 12 times at her house in Corlett St.

She also alleges that on another occasion, Schollum offered her a ride home but drove her to another address in Rutland St where she was pack-raped by all three accused.

All three men have strenuously denied the allegations.

Family members of the accused shook their heads and rolled their eyes as crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh outlined the police case.

The hearing is set down for two weeks but may be completed earlier as the Crown will call only five witnesses to give evidence in person with the remaining 44, including Mrs Nicholas, providing written statements.

Mrs Nicholas' mother-in-law, Phyllis Nicholas, was the Crown's first witness.

She told the court that Louise, who had only been dating her son a few months, had contacted her after taking several days off her job at the Bank of New Zealand because she was ill.

Mrs Phyllis Nicholas went to collect her and saw a marked police car leaving the address.

"She was very ill, doubled up in pain. I wanted to take her straight off to emergency but she wouldn't let me.

"I took her home and I was going to ring my own doctor and get him to call in on the way to surgery."

Mrs Phyllis Nicholas said her relation with Louise Nicholas was only recent then and she had not asked her what was wrong.

Some other suppression orders around the case remain.

- NZPA