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The
Press
December 3 1999
Ellis snubs parole board hearing
Convicted child sex offender Peter
Ellis will not appear before the Parole Board today, says his lawyer Judith Ablett-Kerr QC.
Ellis has consistently maintained
his innocence, and refuses to co-operate with the Parole Board process. In
October the Court of Appeal dismissed a second appeal against conviction. He
is serving a 10-year sentence for conviction of offences against children at
the Christchurch
civic creche. Ms Ablett- Kerr said she had written to the Parole Board
advising it that Ellis did not want to make a personal appearance before the
board. "Mr Ellis wishes to make it clear that he intends no discourtesy
to any individual member of the board, but rather is of the clear view that
any involvement on his part in the process compromises his claim of
innocence." The hearing is intended to set the conditions Ellis will
live under on release in February. He is due for release after serving
two-thirds of his sentence. Ms Ablett-Kerr said she would seek a meeting with
the new Prime Minister and Minister of Justice to discuss Ellis's case.
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