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Otago Daily Times
Thursday,
20-November 1997
Police inquiry into Ellis' conviction
Wellington: Two MPs yesterday went public with
their doubts about the guilt of Peter Ellis as Police Commissioner Peter
Doone agreed to hold an inquiry into investigations that led to the
conviction.
Ellis was found guilty of sexually abusing children at the Christchurch Civic
Child-care Centre between 1986 and 1992, and has served four years of a
10-year sentence at Rolleston Prison.
At a select committee hearing in Parliament, Mr Doone agreed to an inquiry
after Labour MP Phil Goff raised claims that were the focus of a damning
20/20 television programme on Sunday.
Mr Goff's questions centred on allegations that detective Colin Eade, who
headed the investigation but is no longer in the force, had intimate
relationships with the mothers of two of the child complainants and had
suffered from psychological difficulties.
"That sort of behaviour would not be tolerated," Mr Doone told the
justice and law reform committee. He said he could not reach any conclusions
until the investigation had been held.
New Zealand First MP Rana Waitai, a former police commander with 31 years'
experience in the force, backed the inquiry and said all his instincts told
him there was "something terribly wrong and unjust in the Ellis
trial".
He said he was not criticising the court system because the court could deal
only with material in front of it.
"I have the support of the New Zealand First caucus to pursue this
matter on behalf of Peter Ellis. I intend to visit Christchurch to talk to
people who I believe still hold vital information on this matter," Mr
Waitai said.
NZ First chief whip Ron Mark, a list MP from Christchurch, said his talks
with people close to Ellis had led him to believe the man was innocent.
"I have always suspected that Mr Ellis' conviction was due to an
unprecedented level of hysteria, rather than fact. Therefore, I call for
Peter Ellis to be released and pardoned. At the very least he deserves a
retrial," Mr Mark said.
After the select committee hearing, Mr Goff raised the issue in Parliament
with a question to Police Minister Jack Elder.
"Does he consider that the policy inquiry into the Christchurch creche
sexual abuse allegations was objective and reliable, given the revelation
that the detective in charge had intimate relationships with two of the
complainants' mothers and had a history of psychiatric problems, and has he approached
the Minister of Justice about the doubts this raises on the outcome of the
case?" he asked.
Associate Treasurer Tuariki Delamere, answering on behalf of Mr Elder, said
Mr Ellis' counsel was following a legal process under the Crimes Act and he could
not comment further.
Mr Doone told the committee he did not know how long an inquiry would take
but it could last for months.
Alliance MP Rod Donald, who had a daughter at the creche, is calling for a
judicial review of the conviction.
Mr Donald, whose partner was also on the creche's management committee at the
time, said a judicial review was needed because of flaws in the case.
The flaws related not just to the police investigation, but also to the
actions of the Christchurch City Council and the conduct of social workers
who interviewed children at the creche at the time, he said.
Mr Donald said it was not sufficient for the solicitor-general to look at the
case, nor for the police to inquire into its own investigation.
A pardon would also leave the issues unresolved.
"I'm not necessarily convinced of Ellis' innocence but for me that is
not the issue. There certainly appears to be significant deviation from
normal procedures at a number of levels," he said. - NZPA
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