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The
Dominion
November 17, 1997
Jury in childcare trial to be investigated
by Alan Samson
The solicitor-general has ordered an investigation into the jury that convicted
childcare worker Peter Ellis after revelations of possible irregularities.
These relate to alleged non-declarations of interest by two members of the
1993 High Court jury that convicted Ellis of 16 of 25 sexual charges of abuse
on children in his care at the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre.
It is also claimed that most or all of the children who made allegations
against Ellis had at various times withdrawn their accusations.
TV3's 20/20 journalist Melanie Reid claimed last night that police child
abuse investigator Detective Colin Eade had a history of psychiatric
problems, including an obsessional personality.
It was also alleged that Mr Eade had intimate relationships with two of the
complainants' mothers -- and had been rejected by a third. To this
allegation, he replied: "Well, two relationships, um, sometimes I guess
you meet people that you like, sometimes relationships come from it. I know
how putting this can look, but I'm not prepared to respond to any of
that."
Ellis's counsel, Judith Ablett-Kerr, is to petition Governor-General Sir
Michael Hardie Boys for a pardon. Ellis, through his support group, said last
night that he was heartened by the revelations and was hopeful of an early
release.
Spokesman Winston Wealleans said the group was demanding
"face-to-face" audiences with Attorney-General Paul East, Police
Minister Jack Elder, Justice Minister Doug Graham and Police Commissioner
Peter Doone to discuss Reid's evidence, as well as other crucial information
the supporters were holding.
Reid's investigation maintained:
* That jury foreman the Rev Peter Williams had been the marriage celebrant at
the wedding of crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway, but this had not been
declared. The link was conceded by Mr Stanaway: he said he had not recognised
Mr Williams till part-way through the trial.
* A woman jury member failed to declare that she was in a lesbian
relationship with a woman who worked in the same office and at the same desk
of the mother of the most credible of the child accusers. Reid did not
mention occupations, but it is understood the mother was a senior social
worker working opposite a psychiatric nurse.
* That most or all of the children who made abuse allegations had recanted,
but their recantations had been dismissed as signs of "denial". Mr
Eade said he believed that all the complainant children would have recanted
at one time or another, but this did not mean the abuse did not occur.
* That Mr Eade had been diagnosed as having psychiatric problems, including suicidal
tendencies, and had been referred to a psychologist by his superiors. Mr Eade
said on TV3 last night that he was "burnt out" before the case
started and, "before it was finished I was beyond repair".
Senior lawyers told Reid that the jury relationships would probably have led
to the trial being aborted if they had been reported to the judge.
Expressing his view of why things had gone wrong, Nigel Hampton, QC, said:
"Too many people were committed to a philosophy, that such a thing
existed and they were going to be the people that proved it existed."
Also highlighted in the programme was the climate of a "satanic and
ritual abuse" hysteria that had emanated from the United States,
culminating in a family violence conference and evidence of local
"hysteria" and "panic".
Police Commissioner Peter Doone would not comment last night because the case
was "still an operational matter". Regional commander Assistant
Commissioner Paul Fitzharris, who could comment, was "on a plane to Melbourne" and could
not be contacted.
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