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The
Dominion
November 24, 1997
Fresh Ellis allegations rejected
by Bernadette Courtney
Supporters of creche worker Peter Ellis, who is serving a 10-year sentence
for sex abuse, have dismissed fresh allegations that he abused two children.
A woman, who was in a two-year relationship with Ellis in the late 1980s,
claims that her two children were sexually and physically abused by Ellis.
Though her children did not disclose the abuse to police when interviewed
during the Christchurch
creche investigation, the mother said that her children had told her of the
abuse after recent publicity.
There are renewed doubts about the case after a TV3 20/20 programme made new
allegations about the handling of the inquiry.
The programme claimed that a detective involved in the case was suffering
from stress and had intimate relationships with the mothers of two
complainants, that a juror knew the mother of one of the complainants through
her lesbian relationship with the mother's desk-mate and that crown
prosecutor Brent Stanaway allegedly did not divulge that the jury foreman had
been his marriage celebrant.
Police said last week that they would investigate the behaviour of the
detective. Christchurch
police have yet to decide whether they will pursue the fresh allegations.
Last night supporters of Ellis, who are campaigning for him to be set free,
said they believed that the new allegations would not be a setback in the
campaign. The campaign will move up a gear on Friday when Ellis's lawyer,
Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, petitions Governor-General Sir Michael Hardie Boys
for a pardon.
The spokesman for Ellis's civic creche colleagues, Winston Wealleans, said
that a legal opinion would be sought about the new allegations.
"It is strange that this individual has been interviewed, was a witness
in the trial of Ellis and has now come out with these allegations. It doesn't
add up.
"Both of the children were interviewed by the police and put through the
mill. It is funny how these allegations are now surfacing."
Mr Wealleans said campaigners were not worried about the new allegations.
"Of course these things have to be investigated and we certainly
wouldn't want to interfere with the course of justice. The police will do
what they have to do."
Former creche worker Ellis has served more than four years of a 10-year
sentence after being found guilty of abusing seven children in his care after
a trial in 1993. The Court of Appeal rejected an appeal by Ellis against the
convictions in 1994.
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