Top Waikato cop stood down as police pack rape probe continues

3.30pm

UPDATED REPORT - A second New Zealand police district commander has been stood down as the inquiry into a Rotorua woman's allegations of pack rape against a number of policeman picks up speed.

A statement from the Office of the Commissioner confirmed today that Waikato district commander Superintendent Kelvin Powell "is an individual of interest to their investigation" into the rape allegations.

Louise Nicholas, the woman whose complaint that she was pack raped by a number of policemen in Rotorua in the 1980's is also in the dark over the latest move.

Superintendent Powell was interviewed on Thursday by police conducting the inquiry into the Louise Nicholas complaints.

He is the second police boss to have been stood down since the investigation was relaunched last month.

Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards, the commander of the Auckland police district, was earlier stood down after being named as one of the former Rotorua police officers alleged to have raped Mrs Nicholas.

The statement said Detective Inspector Bruce Scott has assumed command of the Waikato district and that Superintendent Powell would also be replaced as security liaison officer of the New Zealand Olympic Games team, the job going to Inspector Gary Alcock.

"The criminal inquiry team under deputy commissioner Steve Long has today confirmed that Supt Powell is an individual of interest to their investigation," police said in a statement. "... The nature of the interest of the inquiry team into Mr Powell is unable to be disclosed at the present time as the investigation is still in its early stages and there is no wish for the overall investigation to be compromised or prejuudiced in any way."

Mrs Nicholas alleges she was pack-raped by assistant commissioner Clint Rickards, Bob Schollum, now a Napier car dealer, and Brad Shipton, now a Tauranga city councillor, when all three were policemen in Rotorua in about 1986.

The three have strongly denied the allegations. The commissioner's statement said: "Speculation that Supt Powell might have been the fourth man relating to Mrs Nicholas's allegations against Clint Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum is incorrect according to the inquiry teams's current information."

Mrs Nicholas has said there was a fourth man present when she was allegedly pack raped.

Mrs Nicholas, who has been interviewed by police since Friday, had found the process difficult, said her husband Ross.

"It would be hard on anyone doing what she is doing,"he said.

Powell's first job was as an 18-year-old constable at the Rotorua police station. The Star-Times understands Powell also worked for a short period at the Murupara police station.

Superintendent Nick Perry, in charge of the inquiry into Nicholas' allegations, said Supt Powell was interviewed by police on Thursday, and was among 30 people who have been interviewed by eight officers from outside the Rotorua police district in the last week.

Messrs Shipton, Schollum and Rickards are yet to be interviewed.

Superintendent Perry said several names had been put forward as the fourth man who witnessed the alleged pack-rape.

"This person is still a mystery at this stage."

Police Minister George Hawkins said the stand down of Superintendent Powell would "heighten" public confidence in the police. He said it showed police were eager to move quickly, and "leave no stone unturned."

Hamilton mayor David Braithwaite said the quick stand down proved police were working with speed and competence to resolve the saga and because of this the public would have faith in police.

However, police colleagues, who described Powell as "a good boss" and "highly regarded", were shocked, according to the Sunday Star Times.

Greg O'Connor, of the NZ Police Association, said Superintendent Powell was known as a police officer who had worked "all the hard stations".

"Kelvin is very well regarded by his troops. His troops are going to be really shocked. We will wait and see."

Mr O'Connor urged the public to suspend judgment until all the facts were known. "There is a real danger that any names that come up will suffer damage to their reputations. Once the allegations are made it is very difficult for people to get their reputations back."

- NZPA