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This page last updated March
13 2005
1999-1226 - Sunday Star
Times - Jury doubts
by Lew Daltry - The legal profession will fight to the last to
preserve its high-profile role in trials. The objective must be not to win
but to obtain the truth. In the Ellis case, as in others, it clearly was not,
parts only of the truth being selected to obtain a conviction
1999-1226 - Sunday Star
Times - Ellis job
Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis hopes to start work in a new
job when he leaves Christchurch's Paparua Prison on February 2
1999-1219 - Sunday Star
Times - Jury trial
by Tom Blackhall - IS the justice system fair? Twelve people,
totally untrained in law are plucked from the street and put
in a position of judging fellow citizens on very serious criminal charges.
These untrained jurors come face to face with highly professional lawyers who
are very skilled in manipulating evidence and facts to "prove"
their case.
1999-1218 - Waikato Times -
Rules tight for Ellis' release
NZPA - Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has been set special
conditions for the first year after his release in February.
1999-1218 - The Press -
Ellis release terms set
NZPA - Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has been
set special conditions for the first year after his release in February.
……….The special terms were to live at a specified address, not to contact the
victims or their families without the written consent of his probation
officer, and not to do any paid or voluntary work without the officer's
approval.
1999-1218 - Dominion - Parole
Board sets tough terms for Ellis
Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis will have to live at a
specified address for a year as part of conditions set by the Parole Board for
his being freed from prison next February
1999-1218
- Otago Daily Times - Special parole conditions set for Ellis release
Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has been set special conditions for the
first year after his release next February
1999-1217 - Evening Post
- Ellis faces tough terms if he accepts parole
Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has been set
special conditions for the first year after his release next February.
1999-1211 - Waikato Times -
Ellis won't sign
NZPA - Convicted sex abuser Peter Ellis will refuse to sign any
parole documents if they imply he was rightfully convicted, his lawyer says.
Ellis will be released from prison on February 2, 2000, having served the
mandatory two-thirds of his sentence
1999-1211 - The Press - Ellis
given release date
Convicted pedophile Peter Ellis will be released
from prison on February 2. Ellis's counsel, Judith Ablett Kerr, QC, gave the
date yesterday, saying it was the mandatory date for his release. "He
has consistently declined the opportunity for early release on the basis that
he could only be released early if he accepted conditions that were
inconsistent with his claim of innocence," Mrs Ablett Kerr said.
1999-1211 - Dominion - Ellis's
lawyer puts condition on signing
NZPA - Convicted sex abuser Peter Ellis would refuse to sign any
parole documents if they implied he was rightfully convicted, his lawyer,
Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said yesterday
1999-1211 - Evening Post -
Ellis won't admit guilt - lawyer
NZPA - Convicted paedophile Peter Ellis won't sign parole
documents if they imply he was rightfully convicted, his lawyer, Judith
Ablett Kerr, QC, said yesterday
1999-1211 - Otago
Daily Times - Ellis will not sign
NZPA - Convicted sex abuser Peter Ellis will refuse to sign any parole
documents if they imply he was rightfully convicted, his lawyer said
yesterday
1999-1211 -
Dominion - Goff To Consider Pardon For Ellis
Phil Goff promised last night to give "early attention" to renewed
calls for a pardon and commission of inquiry for convicted child abuser Peter
Ellis, saying he would try to be fully briefed on the issues before Christmas
1999-1205 -
Sunday Star Times - Goff To Probe Peter Ellis Case
Goff promises to take a closer look, feels “uneasy”
1999-1203 - Waikato Times -
Ellis meeting sought
NZPA - The lawyer representing convicted child sex offender Peter
Ellis is seeking a meeting with Prime Minister-elect Helen Clark and the new
minister of justice. Dunedin QC Judith Ablett Kerr yesterday said she would
pursue Ellis' application for a pardon and royal commission of inquiry with
the new coalition Government
1999-1203 - The Press - Ellis
snubs parole board hearing
"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."
1999-1203 - Evening Post -
Ellis' lawyer seeks Clark meeting
The lawyer representing convicted child sex offender Peter Ellis
wants to meet Prime Minister-elect Helen Clark and the yet to be named new
Minister of Justice. Judith Ablett Kerr, QC, yesterday said she wanted to
discuss Ellis' case and would pursue his application for a pardon and an
inquiry
1999-1122 - Evening Post -
Ellis may not attend Parole Board hearing
Convicted child sex offender Peter Ellis is expected
to continue his policy of not co-operating with the Parole Board at a hearing
next month. His counsel, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said …. Ellis had advised
her that he didn't intend to appear before the board. His stance was that the
board could only deal with him as a guilty person and therefore his
attendance would be meaningless, Mrs Ablett-Kerr said.
1999-1118 - Green
Party - Statement by Co-Leader By Rod Donald
Statement by Donald at Election Public Meeting - explaining reasons why he has done
nothing to support Peter Ellis since the last election when he had previously
indicated he would have
1999-1116 - Dominion - Court
Failed
by Alan Samson - The Court of Appeal, in rejecting the
latest appeal of convicted child abuser Peter Ellis, had missed an
opportunity to look at a problematic case with a fresh eye, a report in the
latest Law Journal says
1999-1116
- Usenet - Minister Justice writes to constituent
Letter by Tony Ryall - A substantial
amount of material has been presented in support of the application which
will take some time to consider.
1999-1114 - Sunday Star
Times – Ellis framed
by R R Pollock - Ellis received a mock trial because more than
half the testimony of his accusers was suppressed as it consisted of such
absolute rubbish it would have been laughed out of court. He should never
have been tried on manufactured evidence but he was and that fact will
condemn the justice system forever. Guilty or innocent, Ellis was framed
1999-1114 - Sunday Star
Times - Ellis evidence
by Colleen Waugh- applaud Jerome Williamson's stand
and loyalty to his father (October 31). A man's character and integrity are
indeed his most treasured possessions. If there had been any doubts in his
father's mind, they could only have been because Justice Williamson found the
very law he served restricted him in dealing justly and correctly with the
case on account of a poorly considered amendment in 1986 to the Evidence Act
1908
1999-1112 - Truth - Abuse claims
costing us all
by Maryvonne Gray - Families torn apart by child
abuse accusations are being urged to back a call for a Royal Commission of
Inquiry into what's been dubbed the "sex abuse industry". Gordon
and Colleen Waugh, who run Casualties of Sexual Allegations (COSA), say
millions of dollars are dished out for ACC claims each year--on little or no
evidence
1999-1109 - Dominion -
Teachers should touch children - lecturer
By Jon Morgan - Schools should proclaim themselves to be
"touching schools" where the touching of young children was
encouraged, a Massey University teaching lecturer said
yesterday. "We need teachers and schools to get together and say,
`Enough of this rubbish -- regardless of a climate of fear and mistrust, we
can be trusted not to abuse your children'," Sarah Farquhar said.
1999-1108 - Waikato Times
- Supporters deny Ellis dressing up
NZPA - Allegations convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has been
allowed to wear dresses in Rolleston Prison have been rubbished by his
supporters. Winston Wealleans, who maintains Ellis is innocent of the charges
of child abuse at the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre, has said the
allegations made in the Sunday-Star Times were malicious nonsense.
1999-1108 - Dominion - Drag story
rubbish say Ellis supporters
NZPA - Allegations that convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has
been allowed to wear dresses in jail have been rejected by his
supporters.
1999-1108
- Otago Daily Times - Supporters deny Ellis dress claims
NZPA - Allegations convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has been allowed to wear
dresses in Rolleston Prison have been rubbished by his supporters
1999-1108 - The
Press - Ellis in a Dress Report Dismissed
Allegations that convicted child abuser Peter
Ellis has been allowed to wear dresses in Rolleston Prison have been
rubbished by his supporters
1999-1108 - The Press - Peter
Ellis Case
by Tighe Instone - If Mr Ellis is
innocent of the crimes for which he has been convicted, then someone else
must be guilty of abusing the children while they were in the care of the
Christchurch Civic Crèche
1999-1107_Sunday
Star Times_Ellis Wearing Dresses In Jail
by Barry Clarke - Convicted child molester Peter Ellis
has been allowed to wear women's clothing and cosmetics in jail.
1999-1107 - Sunday Star
Times - Ellis case
I am a grandmother of a child complainant at the Peter Ellis trial. I wish to
thank Sandra Coney (October 24) for her insight into the effects of the
families of the Ellis-is-innocent campaign.
1999-1103 - Usenet -
McLoughlin about Joy Bander
by David McLoughlin - The appalling
thing is that, despite Sue Sidey realising "Joy Bander" was the
source of that kid's allegations, four of the charges on which Peter Ellis
remains convicted resulted from those maternally manufactured allegations
1999-11 - NZ Law Journal -
Points Of Appeal
New Zealand law Journal, November 1999, pages 413-414
Criminal Practice with Robert Lithgow
Research by Aroha Puata, Points of Appeal :
Appealing too often, R v Ellis
The Court of
Appeal approach to the Governor-General's reference has been widely described
as restrictive rather than expansive. The opportunity has been missed for the
Court of Appeal to use the Governor-General's reference procedure to look at
certain problematic cases afresh with a genuinely new eye and greater
developing understanding. The child sex abuse trial, and the mass allegation
trial in particular, has swept the common law world. Tragedies have resulted
and Courts have learned some hard lessons in their (ie the Courts and
associated processes) vulnerability to public hysteria and false science.
Eternal vigilance is also a principle of appellate oversight. In this case it
was opportunity for oversight of themselves, the opportunity for peer review.
The Court decided not to approach it in that way. And so it is demonstrated
yet again that jurisdiction and the interpretation of the terms of reference
of any criminal case can determine the outcome. Ellis No 2 is a case about
process.
1999-1031 - Sunday
Star Times - Distorted case
by Pat Booth - Sandra Coney (October 24) cites the Peter Ellis trial as
"held up to more scrutiny than any other court proceedings held in New Zealand".
In doing so, she seems to forget the history and lessons of the Arthur Thomas
case.
....The case against Ellis has also been distorted and warrants a full and
new judicial inquiry
1999-1031 - Sunday
Star Times - Ellis dismay
by Cheryl Greenfield - Full marks to Sandra Coney for considering the
question: "When will it be over for the children?" This is the
first media consideration of the other side of the story I have read.
1999-1031 - Sunday Star
Times - A scapegoat
by Dennis Horne - Guilty or innocent, Ellis was the
scapegoat for a botched investigation and the victim of a poor-quality trial.
That, at least, is obvious.
1999-1031 - Sunday Star
Times - A son's reply
by Jerome Williamson - My father was not obsessed
with the Ellis trial as Haden appears to be. He did not talk about it shortly
before his unexpected death. On the occasions he spoke about the Ellis trial
to me, he most certainly did not question his own conduct. Haden's turgid
prose is fiction dressed up as an opinion.
1999-1030 - The Press - Peter
Ellis Case
by Teresa MacIntyre - As some wit
said: "'What has the law to do with justice?" at least in this case
1999-1024 -
Sunday Star Times - The crimes that never were
by Frank Haden - Two things
should happen without delay. The Prime Minister should set up a commission of
inquiry into how the Peter Ellis disaster happened. Apart from the main
consideration, justice, it would forestall the Satanic ritual abuse
industry's next auto-da-fe
1999-1024 - Sunday
Star Times - When will it be over for the children?
by Sandra Coney - Lets spare a
thought for the children of the Christchurch Civic Crèche case and their
families. For nine years they have had to put up with the in-your-face
campaign run by the Peter Ellis faction, with a great deal of media support.
They are young adolescents now, and the continual denial of their abuse must
cause considerable grief. Instead of the safety of knowing their abuser is
behind bars, their victimisation has been prolonged. Ellis, his mother and
the loquacious Judith Ablett-Kerr are constantly on the attack. There has
been no voice for the children or their families all these years.
1999-1020 - Waikato Times -
Memory expert calls for second trial for Ellis
New
March 13 2005
NZPA - A memory expert has called for a new trial for convicted child abuser
Peter Ellis based on "science instead of rhetoric". ……Ellis has
maintained his innocence……..But Victoria University psychology lecturer and
memory specialist Maryanne Garry said Ellis should be allowed another trial.
1999-1020
- Otago Daily Times - Ellis deserves retrial - researcher
Convicted paedophile Peter Ellis deserves a new trial based on science rather
than rhetoric, says a Victoria University memory specialist and psychology
lecturer
1999-1020 - The
Press - Ellis Retrial Deserved
by Cullen Smith, Convicted pedophile Peter Ellis deserves a new
trial based on science rather than rhetoric, says a Victoria University
memory specialist and psychology lecturer
1999-1020 - Dominion -
Ellis should get retrial based on science - expert
Memory specialist Maryanne Garry said research into
children's memory had grown by "leaps and bounds" since Ellis's
conviction. "The jury should have been properly educated when Ellis was
originally tried by allowing psychologists to discuss the research on
children's memory, something that didn't happen during the trial," Dr
Garry said.
1999-1019 - Usenet -
Jury Relationships
by David McLoughlin, In any other
court case, such relationships would have caused an immediate mistrial. In
this one, the Court of Appeal didn't even want to hear about it.
1999-1019 -
The Herald - Non Judicial Inquiry Needed
by Brian Rudman,
The justice system has failed Peter Ellis yet again. Now it's up to
the Prime Minister to take a leaf out of Rob Muldoon's book and set up an
urgent inquiry into the whole sorry mess.
1999-1019 - Evening Post -
Parallels with Thomas case
by Bryan Helm - There is a strong public perception that there were
major flaws in the collection and presentation of evidence at his trial. In
order that there be full confidence in the judicial system it is important
that there be a royal commission into the evidence that led to his
conviction.
1999-1017 - Sunday Star
Times - Upset Ellis consoled by inquiry suggestion
by Frank Haden - But though bitterly
disappointed, Ellis had welcomed the judges' indication that a commission of
inquiry would be a better forum to decide the issues raised in the
Christchurch Civic Crèche case, Winston Weallans told the Sunday Star-Times
1999-1016 - The Press - Ellis's
guilt 'beyond doubt'
The Court of Appeal's latest rejection of an appeal
by convicted child abuser Peter Ellis has put his guilt beyond all doubt, a
spokeswoman for the complainants (Sex-abuse counsellor Reverend Patricia
Allen) says,
1999-1016 - Dominion - Milestones
Rejected : By the Appeal Court, a second bid to overturn Christchurch
crèche worker Peter Ellis's convictions for child abuse
1999-1016 - Evening
Post - Ellis case victims' plea
NZPA - The Court of Appeal's latest rejection of an appeal by convicted child
abuser Peter Ellis has put his guilt beyond all doubt, says a spokeswoman for
the complainants, sex abuse counsellor the Rev Patricia Allen
1999-1015 - Waikato Times -
Ellis battle not over
A renewed call for convicted child abuser Peter Ellis to be
pardoned will be put to Governor-General Sir Michael Hardie Boys on Monday
1999-1015 - Dominion - Push for
Ellis pardon renewed
by Alan Samson - Ellis, spoken to by his counsel
Judith Ablett Kerr after the decision was given in Wellington, was reportedly
"furious". After the decision, Mrs Ablett Kerr announced that she
would renew her appeal to Sir Michael, as well as continue to battle for a
royal commission of inquiry into the case.
1999-1015 - Dominion - Ellis camp
vows to fight `for justice'
by Alan Samson - Lesley Ellis, mother of convicted
child abuser Peter Ellis, was "angry but unsurprised" yesterday
that her son was to stay behind bars. The Court of Appeal's decision to
uphold Ellis's convictions for child abuse had not been unexpected, Mrs Ellis
said. The defence team and her son's supporters were angry that the ruling
had been based on a contraction of the evidence
1999-1015 -
Otago Daily Times - Ellis appeal turned down
NZPA - A renewed call for convicted child abuser Peter Ellis to be pardoned
will be put to Governor-General Sir Michael Hardie Boys on Monday after the
Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed Ellis' second appeal.
1999-1015 -
The Press - Ellis supporters vow to fight on
by Martin van Beynen, Supporters of convicted sex abuser Peter
Ellis say they will fight on despite a second rejection by the Court of
Appeal.
1999-1015 - Herald -
Rare Second Appeal Fails
by Alison Horwood, Convicted child abuser Peter Ellis will continue
a fight to prove his innocence, despite a second rejection by the Court of
Appeal
1999-1014 - Waikato Times -
Court rejects Ellis' appeal
NZPA - The Court of Appeal has rejected the appeal against
conviction of former Christchurch crèche worker Peter Ellis
1999-1014 - The Press - Ellis
appeal decision due today
The Court of Appeal is expected to release its decision today on
the appeal against conviction of former crèche worker Peter Ellis
1999-1014 - Evening Post -
Ellis stays in jail
The Court of Appeal in Wellington today dismissed
Ellis' latest appeal, a rare one resulting from Governor-General Sir Michael
Hardie Boys referring the case back to the court. Outside court, Ellis'
lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said the result wasn't the last word on the
case. "The battle to clear Mr Ellis' name goes on," she said
1999-1014 - Dominion - Decision on
Peter Ellis appeal due today
The wait for an Appeal Court decision on whether or
not to free convicted child abuser Peter Ellis became almost unbearable for
his mother, Lesley, yesterday, after advice that a final decision would be
given today, on the biggest case of its kind heard in New Zealand. Mrs Ellis
said that neither she nor Peter had reason to be optimistic about the
decision
1999-1014 -
Court of Appeal - Judgement
The Queen v Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis [1999]
NZCA 226 (14 October 1999) Judgement of the Court :
[95] For the reasons stated, we are not persuaded that any individual ground
of appeal has been made out.Neither are we persuaded that their cumulative
effect constitutes a miscarriage of justice.The appeal is therefore dismissed
1999-1008
- The Herald - Listener Cleared On Sex Gripe Case
The Press Council says a complaint against the New Zealand Listener over an
article on convicted sex offender Peter Ellis is without merit. Colin Eade of
Christchurch
made serious allegations about an article in the April 3 issue, headed A Mother's Son.
1999-0926 - Sunday
Star Times - Sex inquiries
by C Schischka - Your headline "Sex predator
confesses to police" must leave many wondering just what is the criteria
police follow when investigating possible paedophiles.
1999-0925 - The
Press - City projects Lords plan
Christchurch has been prepared for the Second Coming of Christ, says City Manager
Mike Richardson, a fundamentalist Christian.
1999-0924 - Waikato Times -
Ellis refuses parole again
NZPA - Convicted
paedophile Peter Ellis has again refused to leave Christchurch Prison. Ellis
has previously turned down two parole opportunities, saying that to take them
would be to acknowledge guilt
1999-0924 - The Press - Ellis
refuses to take home leave from jail
Ellis has previously turned down two parole opportunities,
saying that to take them would be to acknowledge guilt. His lawyer, Judith
Ablett Kerr, QC, said that, consistent with his stance before the Parole
Board, Ellis had declined home leave yesterday
1999-0924 - Evening Post -
Ellis again says no to parole
NZPA - Convicted
paedophile Peter Ellis has again refused to leave Christchurch Prison. Ellis
has previously turned down two parole opportunities, saying that to take them
would be to acknowledge guilt
1999-0924 - Dominion -
Ellis's mother asks Ryall for commission of inquiry
New Dec 13 2004
by Alan Samson - Lesley Ellis, mother of convicted child abuser Peter
Ellis, made her strongest appeal yet yesterday on behalf of her son,
delivering a written plea to Justice Minister Tony Ryall for a royal
commission of inquiry
1999-0924 - Otago
Daily Times - Ellis says no to parole
Convicted paedophile Peter Ellis has again refused to leave Christchurch
Prison. Ellis has previously turned down two parole opportunities, saying
that to take them would be to acknowledge guilt.
1999-0924 - Dominion -
Letter by MP - Rana Waitai
Rana Waitai backs Royal Commission of Inquiry
1999-0923 - Waikato
Times - Ellis inquiry call
The mother of Peter Ellis was to arrive in Wellington today to ask
for a royal commission of inquiry into her son's conviction on sex offences
1999-0923 - Dominion - Ellis's
mother to plead for commission of inquiry
The mother of Peter Ellis, in jail after being convicted of child
molesting, arrives in Wellington today to make an impassioned plea for
politicians to hold a royal commission of inquiry into her son's
controversial conviction
1999-0923 -
Lesley Ellis - Letter to Minister of Justice
It is time to stop hiding behind technicalities
and carry out a full inquiry for the good of all of Society.
1999-0816 -
Otago Daily Times - Idea inspired by Ellis case
publicity surrounding two appeals against his conviction, and his continued
insistence he is innocent, have kept the case firmly in the minds of
thousands of New Zealanders.
1999-0801 - Sunday Star
Times - Sex slurs forcing men out of teaching
by Mark Henderson - The Education Review Office warns boys are
underachieving in class and a lack of male role models has been blamed. Are
sexual abuse safeguards harming children and damaging men's role as
caregivers? …….Early childhood educators have clamoured to define
"appropriate" behaviour following major prosecutions such as the
Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre
1999-0800 - Revolution - The
Ellis case
by Sharon Jones - The verdict on Ellis should be overturned and he himself
should be released and compensated for his unwarranted imprisonment. Legislation
such as the amendment to the Evidence Act should be repealed. Clear thinking
and rationalism need to be brought back to the fore, and we need to be on
guard against future moral panics
1999-0800 - Metro
Magazine - Suffer the little children
by Stephanie Wheeler - Only Peter
Ellis and the children at the Civic Crèche know whether Peter Ellis sexually
abused the children there. Taking evidence from very small children may be
difficult, but what is the alternative?
1999-0800 - Metro Magazine - A
parent writes
by Iain Mitchell - I am not pontificating on Ellis’s guilt or innocence;
three courts have done that work for me. However, I feel that the voices of
those whose children were actually involved have not been heard in the years
after the trial.
1999-0709 - Waikato Times -
Appeal judges urged to take liberal approach
NZPA - The Court of Appeal hearing into the 1993 convictions for
child abuse of Peter Ellis ended yesterday with a strong plea that the court
use wide discretion in deciding what evidence it would consider as admissible
1999-0709 - Truth - Justice for and by
top women
Women are more and more grabbing centre stage in a world of
justice formerly dominated by men………..A new name on everybody's
lips as someone billed for stardom is that of Judith Ablett-Kerr QC. ……She's
now championing convicted child molester Peter Ellis' well-founded freedom
bid before the Court of Appeal and its five judges
1999-0709 - The Press - Call to
use discretion in appeal
NZPA - The Court of Appeal hearing into the 1993 convictions for
child abuse of Peter Ellis ended with a strong plea that the court use wide
discretion in deciding what evidence it would consider as admissible.
1999-0709 - Evening Post
- Decision some time off - Ellis judges
NZPA - The Court of Appeal will take a
"considerable time" to consider Peter Ellis' appeal against his
1993 convictions for child abuse. At
the end of the hearing yesterday, president of the court Sir Ivor Richardson
said the judges would take "a considerable time" to carefully
consider the material before it, and would deliver its judgment "in due
course".
1999-0709 - Dominion - Ellis
appeal ends with plea for `liberal approach' from judges
Ellis's counsel, Judith Ablett Kerr, urged the
five-judge appeal bench to take a "liberal approach". "Because
it's important that justice be seen to be done and that's what this court is
really about, about justice.
1999-0709
- Otago Daily Times - Ellis appeal court hearing ends
The Court of Appeal hearing into the 1993 convictions for child abuse of
Peter Ellis ended yesterday with a strong plea the court use wide discretion
in deciding what evidence it would consider admissible.
1999-0708 - Waikato Times -
No new facts in Ellis case, says Crown
NZPA - Yesterday, in the third day of Ellis' second appeal, Simon
France from the Crown Law Office said "the new evidence just isn't
there".
1999-0708 - Waikato
Times - No new Ellis facts: Crown
NZPA - The jury that found Peter Ellis guilty of sex offences in
1993 had the "full picture", the Court of Appeal has been told
1999-0708 - The Press -
Evidence 'not there' for Ellis appeal
New Dec 13 2004
NZPA - The jury that found Peter Ellis guilty of sex offences in 1993 had the
"full picture", the Court of Appeal has been told
1999-0708 - Evening Post -
Ellis jury had `full picture' - Crown
New Dec 13 2004
NZPA - Ellis' lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, has argued for
the convictions to be quashed on six grounds: techniques used to obtain
evidence, risks of contamination, retraction of evidence, the trial
procedure, the jury and the non-disclosure of material. The defence had said
that later research had produced a clearer understanding of children's
development compared to 1992
1999-0708 - Dominion
- Ellis jury had full picture, Crown tells appeal hearing
Allegations against convicted paedophile Peter Ellis involving children at a
masonic lodge were incorrect and that was known at his trial, the Crown told
the Court of Appeal yesterday. Putting the Crown case on the third day of
Ellis's second appeal hearing against his 1993 convictions for sexually
abusing crèche children, Simon France said that evidence that it would have
been impossible for the children to enter the lodge, had been clear.
1999-0708
- Otago Daily Times - Jury in Ellis trial had full picture
The jury that found Peter Ellis guilty of sex offences in 1993 had the
"full picture", the Court of Appeal was told yesterday
1999-0707 - Waikato Times
- Ellis video tape ruling challenged
New Dec 13 2004
NZPA - The jury in the sexual abuse trial of Christchurch crèche worker Peter
Ellis should have been shown video tapes of children who made allegations
which never resulted in charges, the Court of Appeal was told today
1999-0707 - Evening Post -
Child evidence contaminated - Ellis lawyer
New Dec 13 2004
NZPA - Claims by Christchurch children that crèche worker Peter Ellis
sexually abused them were unreliable because their parents had asked them
suggestive questions, the Appeal Court was told yesterday
1999-0707 -
Waikato Times - Ellis' counsel tells of stress
NZPA - If the jury that convicted Peter Ellis had been aware of the extent of
the investigating officer's stress and his relationships with mothers he was
investigating "it would have made hay" with the information, the
Court of Appeal in Wellington was told yesterday.
1999-0707
- Dominion - Officer's competence raised at Ellis appeal
In the second day of Ellis's second appeal against his 1993 convictions for
sexually abusing crèche children, his counsel, Judith Ablett Kerr, rebutted
arguments from the bench that the competence of the officer, Colin Eade, was
beyond the scope of the hearing.
1999-0707 - The
Press - 'Contaminating factors' stressed
NZPA - ….Speaking of repeated parental interviewing of their children, Mrs
Ablett-Kerr said: "In my submission, the extent of interviewing by
parents in this case was highly unusual." One parent had relayed her
version of what another child's mother had said to her daughter, saying:
"This is what (the girl) has said. Did it happen to you?". "If
a professional interviewer did that, I have no doubt that it would have been
thrown out," she said.
1999-0707
- Otago Daily Times - Jury ignorant of officer's stress
If the jury that convicted Peter Ellis had been aware of the extent of the
investigating officer's stress and his relationships with mothers he was
investigating, "it would have made hay" with the information, the
Court of Appeal in Wellington was told yesterday.
1999-0706 - Waikato Times - Too
many interviews, says lawyer for Ellis
NZPA - Children who alleged crèche worker Peter Ellis sexually
abused them should have been interviewed only once, the Court of Appeal was
told today
1999-0706 - Waikato
Times - Children's stories of Ellis grew, lawyer says
NZPA - Allegations made by children against convicted paedophile
Peter Ellis became increasingly bizarre the more interviews they were
subjected to, the Court of Appeal in Wellington has been told.
1999-0706 - Evening Post -
Ellis trial evidence contaminated - claim
NZPA - Evidence from children that led to the conviction of crèche
worker Peter Ellis was contaminated, his lawyer told the Court of Appeal
yesterday
1999-0706 - Dominion
- Child accusers pressured - Ellis lawyer
Opening her submissions, counsel Judith Ablett Kerr gave examples of children
being pressured by five or six interviews. The stories had grown at each
interview. In this way, by the fifth or sixth interview, an allegation that
Ellis had shown a child his penis had grown to children having had to strip
and dance naked, or been hung in a cage.
1999-0706 - The Press - Case
History
NZPA - Allegations made by children against
convicted pedophile Peter Ellis became increasingly bizarre the more
interviews they were subjected to, the Court of Appeal in Wellington has been told. Opening her
submissions for the appeal that began yesterday, counsel Judith Ablett-Kerr,
QC, gave examples of children being pressured by five or six interviews
1999-0706
- Otago Daily Times - Claims against Ellis were increasingly bizarre
Allegations made by children against convicted paedophile Peter Ellis became
increasingly bizarre the more interviews they were subjected to, the Court of
Appeal in Wellington was told yesterday
1999-0705 - Waikato
Times - Ellis' conviction wrong, lawyer says
NZPA - His lawyer Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said in
court today there was a "multitude of reasons" for the miscarriage
of justice, but she would focus on six. The appeal concerned the techniques
used to obtain evidence, the risk of contamination, grounds involving retraction,
the trial procedure, the jury, and the non-disclosure of material.
1999-0705 - Waikato Times -
Ellis appeal today
NZPA - Convicted paedophile Peter Ellis was due to have his second appeal
heard in the Court of Appeal in Wellington today
1999-0705 - Evening
Post - Conviction of Ellis `miscarriage of justice'
His lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said in court
today there was a "multitude of reasons" for the miscarriage of
justice, but she would focus on six. The appeal concerned the techniques used
to obtain evidence, the risk of contamination, grounds involving retraction,
the trial procedure, the jury and the non-disclosure of material. Ellis'
mother, Lesley, and supporter Winston Wealleans were both in court
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