Why Clint Rickards Will Get His Job Back...on a cold day in Hell

Let's cut through the proverbial on this police sex trial. Once upon a time, in the old days, way back before, say, Thomas the Tank Engine, the police were held to a higher standard than the rest of us, on the basis that if they had to be the front line of the law, and unarmed, they needed people to respect them. Any hint of anything dodgy in your life and you didn't get the job.

Fast forward to tonight's news, and Rickards and his lawyer justifying brutal group sex with a teenage girl and a police baton as something "half the community does". Oh really? Maybe I'm just not attending the right parties. Neither Rickards nor his lawyer, John Haigh QC, apparently feel that he has done anything to bring the police into disrepute.

Let's get this straight. As a cop in the 80s, you knew what was right and what was wrong. Rickards, by his own admission, gang-banged (there's no other way of describing it) a young girl, and  (although this aspect is contested) brutalised her with an object.

The ethical test in all these things? Would I want to see this event written about on the front page of the newspaper? Chances are if you are faced with an ethical dilemma and you apply the newspaper test, you usually know the correct answer. Would newspapers have made mincemeat of police in the 80s had such a story come out? Yes they would. Because police are supposed to act to a higher standard. The argument about police reflecting their community is a false one, otherwise we should remove the entry test that bars people with criminal records from becoming police.

Like it or not, we have standards, even if the gene pool from which we select police these days is getting shallower.

Statistically, what are the chances that police investigating these men should stumble across a number of women all singing the same song, yet with no other connection between them, the offences occuring in 1983/84 with one complainant, in 1985 with another and 1989 with a third in a different city.

In all cases the same modus operandi was used, a baton or a bottle. Lord knows why. How sick are these men that they could possibly be sexually excited on behalf of an inanimate object...But two of them have been convicted of using an implement and ex-police would have testified that they were shown the implement by one of the accused who boasted about what they got up to. The same police officer would testify that Rickards was present in the house Nicholas claimed she was attacked in when the baton was being shown to him.

Rickards, we know, had group sex with Nicholas, Shipton and Schollum because he admitted it. He got away with it in this latest jury trial by denying ever having sex with the woman or being involved in group sex with her.

Rickards can never serve in the police again. He has not been found "innocent". There simply was not enough corroboratable evidence after 23 years to convict. Nor does he deserve a police job again. He chose to become involved in activities that were - on the best possible construction of them - repulsive, degrading to women, an abuse of the power inherent in being a police officer and just plain stupid. At worst, Clint Rickards is what I believe he is: a thug and a rapist.

Either way, his continued employment by the constabulary would turn the NZ Police into a bigger laughing stock than they have ever been. By his own actions, by his own admission, Rickards has been caught. There is nothing left to prove. He should resign in disgrace.

Those who want to turn Rickards, Shipton and Schollum into poster-boys for men facing "false rape allegations" should look elsewhere for pin-ups. In my view these ones are as guilty as sin and escaped on a technicality.

Read our previous coverage if you are still labouring under any misconceptions.

Comments

[John Boy]

A significant proportion of "not guilty" verdicts must be similar to this one in that while there is an allegation that has some teeth, the evidence doesn't reach the standards required for conviction. Such is the legal system and I don't see a reasonable alternative. The case has to stand or fall solely on its merits and convicting people we simply don't like is dangerous. Some people will get away with things, like fraud say, despite clear evidence of wrongdoing.

I note Rickards thinks his mates should be out as well. Maybe their convictions are flawed on the same basis as this aquittal is seen by many to be. These guys and the complainants know if they are guilty but no-one else does.

Rickards leaves me cold but the police do as well for tolerating this type of behaviour. He may go but it will cost lots to be rid of him. I would like to know who his mentor was - there had to be someone senior propping him up. Alternatively, maybe Rickards has dirt on someone senior and has made himself untouchable?

I still think he's a mirror of the country's leadership. Not getting caught is the key to survival, being immoral in the first place is OK.

[Macros The Black]

I find your "logic" interesting, mainly due to the astonishing leaps that you perform to link Rickards to the actions of Shipton & Schollum.

While Rickards admitted to having sex with Nicholas he denied it with the latest accuser. Shipton & Schollum never specifically denied it as they were told to keep their mouths shut.

Yet, you state that Rickards is a rapist (defamation anyone?) as he did have sex with the latest accuser (which he denied), mainly thru the flawed logic of Rickards admitting that he had sex with Nicholas with Shipton & Schollum, and because Shipton & Schollum were convicted of rape.

How does Shipton & Schollum's guilt (in another case) make Rickards guilty (in this case)? I personally can't manage to make that logical leap - probably because it's illogical!

Should I assume that all your friends & acquaintances are as rabid as you are because of their association to you?

May I also suggest that you try something kinky, like having sex with the lights on, before you start judging others' sexual practices.

[Peter]

Macros

Welcome along. I think you are new here - you just need to get used to Ian's junps of faith.

I agree with you. The law is not perfect but the rule of law and concept of not guilty until proven guilty are very fundamental to our democracy.

However you will notice that there are some here that put divine superstition and smear at a higher level than citizenship in a decent society.

[cop's kid]

I was the teenage daughter of a Rotorua cop back in the late 70's/early 80's and I remember well the culture of Rotorua and the Rotorua police at that time. And if those guys are innocent of the charges, I'll eat my hat! Because I don't believe for a minute that they are anything but guilty. Completely and utterly guilty.

[Chuck Bird]

Ian, I read your article that you linked to. Would you please claify what age Louise was when Rickard's admiting having sex with her? It appears that she was 16. If you know how old Rickard was it would be good.

I have heard what I believe is a lot of misinformation defending Rickard on talkback.

[Psycho Milt]

"Those who want to turn Rickards, Shipton and Schollum into poster-boys for men facing "false rape allegations" should look elsewhere for pin-ups. In my view these ones are as guilty as sin and escaped on a technicality."

In mine too. If Rickards gets his job back, the Auckland cops might as well ditch the uniforms and get themselves gang patches.

[Peter]

You do get surprises though. Here is a case I thought looked doomed, but Tuariki Delamere was found not guilty

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10426672

Tuariki Delamere was an excellent Associate Health Minister with huge dislike of tobacco industry

[AcidComments]

Probably explains the reason why the Police do nothing about the increased under-age prostitution on the streets around Auckland. Are Senior Police officers possible clients?

[Buy Online Rx]

Yum Yum So so very very cute! I wish could have been there...You booth turned out so darling. I'll be in touch....I'm glad Elliot made it to market again...it's so good to see he's still around, love the tux.