|
The Press
December 1, 1992.
Mother 'worried' by creche inquiry
A mother told the District Court yesterday that she
had recently become uneasy at her daughter's continued involvement in the
inquiry into alleged child sexual abuse at the Christchurch Civic Childcare
Centre.
The parent, whose name was suppressed, said she had tried to withdraw her
child from the police investigation in September.
She said she had become "quite worried" about the situation and
felt it was not right for her child to remain in the investigation.
"She really was quite hyped up. We felt it was hanging over her,"
she said.
She was giving evidence during the fifth week of a depositions hearing against
five former staff of the childcare centre who are accused of sexually abusing
some children who attended the creche.
Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis, aged 34, faces 45 indecency charges. The former
manager of the creche, Gaye Jocelyn Davidson, aged 39. Janice Virginia
Buckingham, aged 44, and Marie Keys, aged 44, each face four indecency
charges. Deborah Janet Gillespie, aged 30, faces three charges.
The witness said she had agreed to a police request for her child to remain
with the investigation until Christmas, when she would make a final decision
about her continued involvement.
She said her daughter's school performance had not suffered and she got good
marks for her work. Her teacher had been asked to observe her reactions in
class, but had not detected any change in her behaviour.
The witness said if the case went to trial there was a big question mark over
whether her daughter would continue in the court process.
Another parent told how her daughter had experienced "night
terrors" from time to time during the period when she attended the
creche.
She would experience very frightening nightmares, call out in her sleep, and
was difficult to wake up. These had ceased since she started school.
The witness said her child tended not to want to use the toilet at the creche
and would wait until she got home, sometimes wetting her pants.
After a discussion with her parents her daughter agreed to talk to the
police. After her interview she seemed relieved at first but had since become
more anxious.
Judge Anderson suppressed some of the mother's evidence, noting his concern that some of the
evidence provoked a very strong emotive response.
He was conscious that there could be further court proceedings and he did not
want these to be prejudiced in any way.
All of the evidence from another parent, whose two children are the subject
of charges, was suppressed by Judge Anderson on the grounds that it could be
prejudicial to the defence.
The depositions hearing is expected to last until mid-December.
|
