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A self-portrait of Peter Ellis shedding
tears behind prison bars has pride of place in his mother's tiny For Lesley Ellis, it's been a long
six years since her son was sentenced to 10 years' jail in 1993, after being
found guilty of abusing children at the Christchurch Civic Creche. But she's starting to feel more
positive his name will be cleared -- and that he'll soon leave prison a free
man. The self-portrait, surrounded by a red background of hearts, is a
reminder of her son's resilience. "But I also like this one,
because he looks like he does now, with a pony-tail. Only you should see him
now -- the pony-tail's even longer," she said. While her son was uncertain how
he'd live after prison, she knew art would remain central. "He enjoys it. It's quite an
outlet for him. He also makes wonderful cards. Whatever he does, it's always
detailed," she said. A recent work of a Maori man with
moko reminded her of a Goldie painting. While it was of no one in particular,
she said it was probably inspired by people he'd met inside. The Ellis sense of humour was
obvious in a picture of an Indian chief he'd drawn on one of her letters: it
included a tiny black sheep in one corner. Birds and feathers are a favourite
subject. One picture -- Lesley Ellis spent this weekend
waiting for news on the outcome of her son's Parole Board hearing. "I
feel more positive this time than I've felt for a couple of years. Peter is
maintaining his innocence and says to accept parole would compromise that.
The board stands on the other side of the table, saying we have statutory
obligations we must fulfil. "It depends if they can find
a way to meld the opposing camps, but I did get the feeling there was a
willingness to discuss the situation." She said it was also positive
that former High Court judge Sir Thomas Thorpe had been asked to investigate
the petition for a pardon on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. If her son was released before his
May appeal, he would want to support his lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, with
the legal preparations. But apart from that and his art,
Ellis, who turns 41 on March 30, would also want to be reunited with some of
his pets, including his old dog Nina, she said. "The sad part is he kept so
many animals, but a lot of them have died since he went to prison. He used to
have a pekinese and three chihuahuas, as well as chickens," she said. Lesley Ellis said the world had
changed in the past six years. It would be hard for her son to find a new
place in it -- "but he clearly won't go back to a creche". |
