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Otago Daily Times
March 18 1999
Ellis denied parole for innocence claim
NZPA
Wellington: Convicted child sex offender Peter
Ellis has been denied parole for the second time.
Ellis (40) continued to maintain his innocence when he appeared before a
parole board at Paparua Prison, near Christchurch, last
Thursday.
In its decision released yesterday, the board said Ellis' continued stance
meant it had to decline parole.
"As the offender has not acknowledged or addressed his offending, the
board said it had no option but to decline parole," Department of
Corrections communications adviser Karyn McLean said in a statement.
The board said in its decision that, as Ellis had continued to maintain his
innocence, he had not faced the usual consequences of sex offenders, such as
attending rehabilitative courses and programmes.
It noted that, "Mr Ellis' contribution to prison life has been
significant and positive and in that respect he has made a significant
impact".
However, to grant parole, the board had to take into account certain
statutory considerations, including any change in the offender's attitude
during the sentence.
"The board is not in a position to go behind the jury's verdict and the
sentence the judge imposed, and of course it has no material before it to do
so," the board said.
The board postponed Ellis' case until December. Then it would likely impose
conditions under which Ellis would be released at the end of two-thirds of
his 10-year sentence in February next year.
Ellis, found guilty of abusing children at Christchurch's Civic Childcare Centre, made
a brief statement to the board last week, maintaining his innocence.
"I cannot accept any parole that you could offer me because the board
could only release me as a guilty man," he said. "I'm not a guilty
man. I am an innocent man."
Ellis' counsel, Judith Ablett Kerr, QC, later
released a statement saying Ellis had read the board's "entirely
predictable" decision.
"Peter Ellis is not feeling sorry for himself today, but his thoughts
are for his mother and her position."
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