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Children who alleged creche worker
Peter Ellis sexually abused them should have been interviewed only once, the
Court of Appeal was told today. Ellis is appealing his conviction
on 13 counts. He was jailed for 10 years in 1993. On the second day of his second
appeal, Ellis' lawyer Judith Ablett-Kerr said research now showed a clearer
understanding of children's development than in 1992. "After the first interview
with parents, even with the knowledge in 1992, the Special Services Unit and
police should have stopped parents from further interviewing," Mrs
Ablett-Kerr said. At least three of the allegations
that led to convictions were made during second interviews with children. Two other allegations came from
third and fourth interviews. "(They) should have had only
one interview and only in exceptional circumstances should (they) have had
more." There was a general consensus that
information from the first interview was more reliable, Mrs Ablett-Kerr said.
Despite interviews with children
revealing that they had had extensive interviews with parents; "there
was little or nothing done to stop parental interviewing". Experts at Ellis' six-week trial
told the court they could distinguish between false and true allegations by
the language children used, their grammar and phraseology. However, Mrs Ablett-Kerr said:
"The jury was given incorrect information that experts could tell the
difference between true and false." She said the experts had not
"deliberately misled" the court, but "the information was not
in front of the court." (Proceeding) |
