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The
Christchurch Civic Creche Case |
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Jailed crèche worker
Peter Ellis refused to give evidence against a man accused of threatening to
kill him because he feared they could end up in prison together. Graham Roderick Clark,
an unemployed 21-year-old, walked free from a Christchurch court on Friday
after Ellis refused to testify for the Crown. His mother, Lesley Ellis,
told Sunday News: "Peter was panicking. He was scared of having Clark
out there (in prison)." Clark was imprisoned
for an earlier vigilante-style attack on Ellis and his flatmate. It was alleged that
soon after his release, Clark revisited Ellis on March 8 and vowed to
"get him" in the next 20 years and kill him if the threat was
relayed to police. Clark denied the charge. On Tuesday Ellis will
be sentenced on 16 charges of sexual violation and indecencies involving
children who attended the Christchurch Civic Crèche between 1986 and 1992. An appeal is expected
to be lodged after sentencing. Ellis has spent the
last fortnight isolated on remand at Addington Prison, where inmates have
reportedly organised a sweepstake on who will be the first to bash the
35-year-old bisexual. The only time he emerges
from his double-bunk cell is for visits from his friends and family. "Even though he
feels the warders are protective, he doesn't, by choice, go out in the
yard." His mother said. Ellis decided to
withhold testimony against Clark after talking to his defence counsel, Robert
Harrison. Ironically, the case
gainst Clark was prosecuted by Crown solicitor Brent Stanaway, who convinced
the crèche jury to find Ellis guilty. |
