Brad Shipton in court last year. Photo / Ross Setford
The woman subjected to a brutal pack rape in Mt Maunganui in 1989 is unimpressed by admissions by convicted rapist and former policeman Brad Shipton.
The Parole Board said yesterday Shipton now acknowledged he had devastated the lives of his victim and family.
He had reflected while in
prison on a life full of "disgraceful, disgusting behaviour", the board said.
His victim said she was "not happy about the confession" and told the Sunday Star-Times "as far as I'm concerned it's another manipulation."
She said Shipton's comments to the Parole Board had been "a full confession but not involving the rape word."
"It's 18 years too late. I want him to stand in front of me and Louise Nicholas and tell me."
Shipton along with fellow ex-police officer Bob Schollum and millionaire Peter McNamara was convicted of a brutal pack rape of a woman in Mt Maunganui. He has served three years of a 8-1/2 year sentence.
The board has denied Schollum parole but McNamara was released in January.
Shipton along with former police assistant commissioner Clint Rickards and Schollum went on trial charged with the rape of Ms Nicholas in the early 1980s. All three were acquitted.
Yesterday the Parole Board ordered a new psychological report on Shipton and delayed its decision on him until September.
"It is our opinion that restorative justice may not be out of question," the board said.
Shipton has previously told a psychologist he had a bad jury and a biased judge. The psychologist reported that Shipton has a strong sense of sexual entitlement.
Shipton has since spoken with emotion to a Parole Board hearing. He became eligible for parole on May 5.
While he continued to deny aspects of the crime, the board said he had moved his thinking "quite considerably".
"He said he was sorry for what the victim went through and later went further and said that he had ruined her life," the board said.
He acknowledged he should not have put her in that position and should not have taken his colleague Schollum along with him.
The board must consider if Shipton was a risk to the community.
He has behaved well during a difficult sentence, the board said.
Shipton's wife is supportive but he will not live with her if he is released.
- NZPA
