The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
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	Waikato Times June 16 1998 Ellis backers scorn police review NZPA Supporters of Peter Ellis have poured scorn on a police review clearing a former detective who propositioned the mother of an alleged victim. The review followed revelations last year that a key detective on the Christchurch civic crèche case, Colin Eade, had relationships with the mothers of two alleged victims. It also revealed he propositioned a third mother while the case was under way, and that he felt he should have been on anti-depressants during the investigation. The police review conducted by Detective Superintendent Jim Millar cleared Mr Eade, saying his judgment was not impaired in any significant way. "I believe Eade was not psychologically incompetent enough to consider that he should be removed from that inquiry or would have been liable to make errors of judgment," Mr Millar wrote. Winston Weallans, a spokesman for a group supporting Ellis, said the review was "hilarious". He found it "astounding" that a detective who got drunk and then propositioned the distressed mother of an alleged victim could be seen as not impaired. "We would like to know what psychology qualifications Detective Superintendent Millar has got to enable him to make this finding," he said. Supporters had wanted an outside investigation and believed the "cover-up" was continuing. Ellis' mother, Lesley, said the report was entirely predictable. "Anybody who investigates themselves will stick up for themselves," she said. "So his (Detective Eade's) behaviour may not have affected the investigation but you still have to look at the whole. This is just one of the little pieces," she said. Ellis has started the sixth of a 10-year jail sentence for abusing children at the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre. He has maintained his innocence and his lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr QC is soon to apply to the governor-general for a commission of inquiry into the case.