Policeman escapes assault conviction

A long-serving Rotorua policeman followed a man around the back of a late-night diner and assaulted him, thinking he had raped his daughter.

Senior Constable William Royal broke down in tears as he was discharged without conviction in Rotorua District Court yesterday.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting a Wellington man outside a popular late-night Rotorua diner on October 22.
He was waiting to be collected by his daughter in her car when he heard a commotion outside in the takeaway area of the diner.
When he went outside he saw the complainant, a Wellington man visiting Rotorua, on the ground surrounded by a group of men. There had been a fight.
Mr Royal asked what had happened and was told by his son, Willie Royal junior, that the man had raped Mr Royal's daughter.

Staff took the complainant, who had suffered minor injuries, around to the back of the diner. The complainant told police Mr Royal followed him to the back of the premises and punched and kicked him several times around the body.

The daughter was not raped.

As a senior policeman with vast experience he should have let the law take its own course. Judge Thomas said the offending was of the lowest level and Mr Royal was entitled to keep his unblemished police record clear.