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The
Evening Post
November 19, 1997
Police to revisit Ellis case
NZPA
Police have agreed to carry out an inquiry into the investigation that led to
the conviction of Peter Ellis, who is four years into a 10-year sentence for
child molestation.
Police Commissioner Peter Doone today agreed to the request by Parliament's
justice and law reform select committee to hold an inquiry into the
investigation and in particular the actions of Detective Colin Eade, who
headed the investigation but is no longer in the police force.
Assistant Commissioner Ian Holyoake told the committee that the role of Mr
Eade was not necessarily critical to the police investigation and that a
large team of officers had been involved.
He said it would be wrong for the select committee to conclude that Mr Eade
was the only influential officer involved.
Mr Doone said he could not say how long the inquiry would take, or what the
terms of reference would be. He said it might be done in tandem with the
Police Complaints Authority.
Labour justice spokesman Phil Goff reiterated that the committee was
interested in knowing whether the police investigation, which was the focus
of a damning television 20/20 television programme on Sunday, was
satisfactory.
Earlier Mr Doone told MPs on the committee that the allegations to do with Mr
Eade were "absolutely unacceptable", and had not been proven. Ellis
was found guilty of sexually abusing children at the Christchurch Civic
Childcare Centre between 1986 and 1992 and has served four years of a 10-year
sentence at Christchurch's
Paparua Prison.
The 20/20 report claimed that Mr Eade, a police officer who took a leading
part in the investigation, had psychological difficulties and left the police
soon afterwards.
It also alleged that Mr Eade had intimate relationships with the mothers of
two of the child complainants and attempted to have a relationship with a
third.
"That sort of behaviour would not be tolerated," Mr Doone said, but
until it was investigated no conclusion could be reached.
"I will respond to the committee for any request for a formal
investigation of those allegations and I can assure you that if there are any
ethical, procedural or fairness breaches on the part of the police at the end
of that stage I will take every step to ensure that justice will be
done."
Mr Doone said that judging by the length of time being taken on the joint
police and complaints authority review of the David Bain case, it could take
some months.
"There is a lot of detail in there that would need to be looked at
before any conclusions can be reached," he said.
Mr Doone said no sanctions could be taken against Mr Eade as he was no longer
in the force.
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