Nicholas' former flatmate says sex with police was consensual

By ABIGAIL CASPARI in Auckland
A flatmate of Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas said both of them had consensual sex with police officers, the High Court at Auckland has heard.

The flatmate's version of events arose while Mrs Nicholas was being cross-examined by the lawyers of Assistant Police Commissioner Clinton John Tukotahi Rickards, 44, and his two former police colleagues Bradley Keith Shipton, 47, and Robert Francis Schollum, 53.

The three men are on trial after pleading not guilty to a total of 20 charges including rape, sexual violation and indecent assault.

Richards' lawyer John Haigh, QC, told Mrs Nicholas her former flatmate's evidence would be that she saw Mrs Nicholas having sexual intercourse with Shipton and Schollum and she did not appear to be objecting to it.

The flatmate, whose name is suppressed, would say she had consensual sex with Shipton and Schollum while Mrs Nicholas was at the house.

She would also say when the men were at the house the atmosphere was "fairly relaxed".

Mrs Nicholas said her flatmate was never there when any of the men came to the house.

She told the jury the flatmate's recollection of events was different to hers.

She alleges she was raped by the three men and sexually assaulted with a baton at a house on Rutland St.

Yesterday she was asked why she did not tell Schollum, who drove her to Rutland St, that she did not want to go inside or why she did not just leave and walk home to Corlett St.

"And then what? These guys were going to come back anyway as they had been. These guys were cops. I feared them."

There was nothing she could do to stop them raping and sexually assaulting her, she said.

"I had lost all control. I had no strength left to fight this."

Mrs Nicholas was questioned at length about why she did not tell anyone about what happened at Rutland St immediately afterwards.

She said she did not want to tell anybody because she was afraid no one would believe her.

"When I tell people, bad things happen. They won't do anything about it so what's the point?"

Mrs Nicholas denied this case was a way for her to redress a past which she had become ashamed of. "What I have been subjected to in the past has never been one of consent."

She said she had never set out to destroy Mr Rickards and she denied Mr Haigh's comments she had enjoyed the media attention.

"I was given the opportunity two-and-a-half years ago to tell my story of what happened to me.

"I didn't instigate it. I was approached."

Defence lawyers completed their cross-examination of Mrs Nicholas yesterday afternoon and the trial was adjourned to this morning when some of the remaining 42 witnesses were to give evidence.