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The
Press
November 17, 1997
Revelations revive Ellis case queries
by Anna Dunbar
More cracks in the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre case surfaced
yesterday with revelations about possible prejudice among the jurors.
TV3's 20/20 programme revealed last night that one of the jurors knew the
mother of one of the child complainants who gave evidence against creche
worker Peter Ellis in 1993.
The juror had contact with the woman through her live-in partner who shared a
small office with the mother.
The programme also said the jury foreman, a Christchurch clergyman, had officiated at
the wedding of the case's lead prosecutor, Brent Stanaway.
Commenting on the developments, Christchurch QC Nigel Hampton, who worked on
Peter Ellis's appeal, said he was alarmed by the jury revelations.
In such a high-profile case it was vital to have an objective and detached
jury, he said.
``It's quite clear that two members of the jury did not fit into that
category. Those jurors had the potential to affect Ellis's case,'' he said.
The programme also said some of the complainant children have now said Peter
Ellis did not abuse them.
Their statements, however, are being treated as a symptom of denial (a
psychological term meaning the event happened but the victim refuses to
accept it did).
The 1993 guilty verdicts against Peter Ellis on 16 out of 25 charges of
abusing children in his care have always been controversial.
The Court of Appeal rejected an appeal against the verdicts in 1994 although
it dismissed three of the charges on evidence the complainant concerned had
recanted.
Dunedin QC Judith Ablett-Kerr is preparing a case asking the Governor-General
to pardon Peter Ellis.
Ellis has served over four years of his 10-year sentence. A spokesman for
Ellis's support group, Winstone Wealleans, last night called for Ellis's
immediate release.
``We want a full inquiry which includes a hard look at how the police
conducted the investigation. Mr Eade (a police officer at the time who took a
leading part in the investigation) demonstrated last night the completely
one-eyed police attitude that typified the inquiry,'' he said.
``This is a terrible injustice. It cannot be allowed to continue and the
authorities must take note and take action. Surely there is now so much doubt
about the convictions that something must be done,'' he said.
Five former colleagues of Peter Ellis are also demanding his immediate
release.
Gaye Davidson, Marie Keys, Stephanie Hauiti, Jenny Wealleans, and Paula Scott
said in a joint statement last night the disclosures on the television
programme must confirm to the public that a serious miscarriage of justice
had occurred.
``We yet again call for a ministerial inquiry into the Civic Creche
tragedy,'' their statement said. The women said it was ``extraordinary'' that
it had taken six years for ``these disturbing and alarming facts to come to
public attention''.
A spokeswoman for an organisation offering support for people falsely accused
of sexual offences said the evidence that Ellis was not proven guilty beyond
reasonable doubt was overwhelming.
Casualties of Sexual Allegations president Dr Felicity Goodyear-Smith said
Ellis, serving a 10-year sentence for child abuse, was convicted ``on the
basis of uncorroborated testimony with the complicity of professionals who
believe women and children always tell the truth when they say they have been
sexually abused''.
Dr Goodyear-Smith said Ellis should be given a free pardon by the
Governor-General.
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