Louise Nicholas with her husband Ross, speaking to the media outside the Hamilton High Court on Wednesday night. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Tears fell and cries rang out in the High Court at Hamilton tonight after a jury found former top Rotorua cop John Dewar guilty of four charges of attempting to obstruct or defeat the course of justice in his handling of historic sex allegations.
Dewar, 55 self-employed father
of four of Hamilton, denied all the charges in the High Court at Hamilton.
The prosecution alleged that when he was chief inspector of the Rotorua CIB in 1993, Dewar covered up sex allegations Louise Nicholas made against police officers Clint Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum.
He also deliberately gave inadmissible evidence at the trial of a former policeman accused of having unlawful sex and indecently assaulting Louise Nicholas when she was aged 13 leading to two mistrials before a third trial acquittal.
Outside the court after the verdict was delivered an emotional Mrs Nicholas with her husband Ross by her side thanked the public of New Zealand for their support and the policemen involved in Operation Austin for restoring her faith in the police.
Earlier as the four guilty verdicts were read out Dewar's wife Louise burst into loud sobs and cried out no.
Also in the gallery was the woman who had given evidence that she had group sex with Brad Shipton and Dewar. The woman, who has name suppression, along with supporters of Mrs Nicholas, broke down in tears as the verdicts were read out.
Dewar showed no emotion as the verdicts were delivered.
Earlier Justice Rodney Hansen told the jury the case was not about what Mr Rickards, Shipton and Schollum did or might have done.
"It is not about whether Louise Nicholas was sexually abused or violated by them or anyone else.
"It is about what John Dewar did after he took over the investigation."
Dewar and his wife left the court without comment.
He has been remanded on bail until September 26 for sentencing.
Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway and defence counsel Paul Mabey QC both declined to comment.
The Dewar case in detail
