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Otago Daily Times
Friday,
13-March 1998
Innocence takes priority for Ellis, mother says
NZPA
Christchurch: Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis
did not turn up at his parole board hearing for his first chance of freedom
yesterday because his innocence meant too much to him, his mother said last
night.
Lesley Ellis said her son's innocence meant too much for him to accept
freedom if it meant it was granted on the basis he was guilty.
She said: "I didn't know he wouldn't go in front of the parole board until
I got out there to be his support person.
"I could see that having made that decision he was at peace with
it."
She said she felt a bit tearful.
"It's not nice having part of your family in prison. But he can't come
out and live with himself if he just walks out for the sake of freedom,"
she said.
The parole board hearing went ahead without him. Ellis will find out late
next week if he will spend his 40th birthday, this month, in Christchurch's Rolleston
Prison.
His next chance for parole is in 12 months.
Ellis has been in jail for four years and nine months. He was jailed for 10
years after being found guilty of sexually abusing children at the
Christchurch Civic Creche between 1986 and 1992.
Yesterday was the first time he was eligible for a parole board hearing to
obtain a release from jail.
But in a letter to the board he refused to appear.
Mrs Ellis said her son seemed calm and peaceful after weeks of nervousness
leading up to the parole board hearing.
"He told me `I can't do this. It's an acceptance I'm guilty'."
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