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Television New Zealand
August 5 1994
Ellis Families
Holmes
Reporter: Vicki Wilkinson-Baker
Precis
One child who gave evidence leading to Peter Ellis' conviction in
the Christchurch Civic Child Care Centre case retracts her evidence, parents
of the other children say their evidence is still valid
Shotlist
00:00 GVs sign and
EXT Civic Child Care Centre, Christchurch.
GV playground at Civic creche
V/O parent re I believe the children, I believe my child.
MCU tyre swing in Civic creche's
playground.
MCU wooden toys hanging in playground
V/O parent re yes (I've always believed my child).
WS playground at creche
V/O parent re I've always believed it.
WS tyre swing in motion
V/O REPORTER re parents defending their children's evidence in the Civic creche case.
LA EXT Christchurch Court.
TILT DOWN REPORTER Vicki Wilkinson-Baker to CAMERA re in the Ellis trial in
1993 defence argued children's evidence was unreliable, they made up stories
of abuse, today in the Court of Appeal one of the children (witness) withdrew
her testimony, now defence says evidence of other children should be
re-examined.
GVs parents of children involved in sexual abuse
case in a group meeting
(IDENTITY OBSCURED). MCU REPORTER. BS
father re no (I don't believe the children's evidence is in doubt), I never
for a moment doubted my child, even though I had trouble accepting some of
it.
MS parents at meeting (IDENTITY OBSCURED).
I/V Wendy Ball, spokesperson for the parents, re certainly a retraction by
one child makes you look at her evidence, but I don't believe it affects the judgement or credibility of the other children, or the
interview processes that have been scrutinised by
the Depositions Court
and the High Court.
(LCT) (CH) GVs INT court-room.
(LCT) (CH) MS monitors and a camera used to relay children's evidence in the
Civic creche trial.
(LCT) (CH) MCU glasses on a stack of legal documents
V/O REPORTER re at nine years she was the oldest child in the case accusing
Peter Ellis of indecently touching her and being forced to indecently touch
him.
(LCT) (CH) CU police, "Police/Queen vs Peter
Hugh McGregor Ellis".
(LCT) (CH) MS SLOW MOTION Peter Ellis walking along street outside
Christchurch Court
V/O REPORTER re he was found guilty on three charges resulting from her
evidence, the defence wants the convictions quashed and, if it can't get the
remaining 13 convictions quashed, a retrial.
I/V Wendy Ball re the children's credibility is doubted by their parents,
they're worried about the community's reaction in family homes again, see I
told you it was all lies, when in fact we're saying our children have been
accepted by the court as credible witnesses.
MS parents meeting (IDENTITIES OBSCURED) V/O father re the other six children
stood in court, they're credible witnesses.
MS parents meeting (IDENTITIES OBSCURED) V/O mother re the retraction puts my
child's and all the other children's credibility on the line.
MCU REPORTER V/O father re I think they're (parents) going through hell.
WS trees in Botanic Gardens, Christchurch.
WS BS couple with child and dog walking through gardens
V/O parent re we're dealing with it 24 hours a day with our child, it hasn't
finished.
WS parents, child and dog (IDENTITIES OBSCURED) walking in gardens
V/O parent re it hasn't gone away and it never will. MS woman crocheting
(IDENTITY OBSCURED)
V/O woman re these kids have been affected.
OS MCU REPORTER V/O mother re you have children and dreams about their
future, and in five minutes they're shattered.
I/V Wendy Ball re most parents sit there and say this doesn't happen, because
they don't want it to happen to them, but the reality is it has happened,
these parents don't want it to ever happen again, the community needs to sit
back and start believing children .
4:06 END.
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