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The Press
July 15 1996
Writer says creche worker should be freed
by Martin Van Beynen
An Auckland journalist who has spent 18 months investigating the Christchurch
Civic Childcare Centre case says convicted creche worker Peter Ellis should
be released and an independent inquiry started.
David McLoughlin, a writer for ``North and South'' magazine, said yesterday
he had serious qualms about Ellis's guilt, and was convinced about the
innocence of the four women creche workers charged with sexual offending
against creche children.
An article entitled ``Second thoughts on the Christchurch Civic Creche Case''
by Mr McLoughlin is published in this month's ``North and South'' magazine.
Ellis is three years into a 10-year jail term imposed in 1993, and the
Government has rejected calls for an inquiry.
He said he brought a dispassionate view in his investigation, which started
out as research for a television documentary. One of the most compelling
points arising from the case was that despite allegations Ellis had subjected
children to horrendous abuse over five years, not a single child had
complained or showed distress until after the police investigation started.
A series of factors had compounded to ultimately result in the system failing
Ellis, Mr McLoughlin said.
When the first allegation was made against Ellis by the child of a sexual
abuse counsellor the climate was ripe for panic, he said. Rumours had been
circulating about a Christchurch child pornography ring, and claims about
organised satanic abuse were being made in the media.
It was interesting that the woman who started the investigation made a
similar claim against another creche worker when her son moved to another
creche.
Parents were understandably alarmed and hysterical when the claims began
circulating, and information was shared as networking began, he said.
The police, who were being advised by experts who were telling them ``believe
the children'', failed to stand back and ask themselves how credible the
claims were, Mr McLouglin said. Social welfare interviewers used flawed
techniques to obtain evidence from the children, and at the trial the jury
heard from a narrow selection of the most credible children. Mr McLouglin
said the parents would not thank him for the story. ``It will cause them
considerable anguish, and I am sorry about that, but I really think there is
a big question here. I don't think these children were abused, and it would
be good for the children to know that.''
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