The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
	News Reports
	2000 Index
	The Press January 29, 2000 Adjusting to life outside prison stressful for Ellis, mother says by Martin van Beynen Adjusting to life on the outside will be difficult for soon-to-be released Paparua Prison inmate Peter Ellis, his mother says. Ellis, 41, who was convicted in 1993 on 16 charges of abusing children in his care at the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre, will be released on Wednesday. He has served 6 years of a 10-year jail sentence. Ellis has consistently protested his innocence and doubts have emerged about the way allegations against him arose, the way young children were interviewed, and the impartiality of his trial jury. As he began his last weekend in prison, Lesley Ellis said her son's virtual house arrest before his trial in April 1993 meant he had spent closer to eight years divorced from the real world. "It's going to be a bit stressful while he adjusts again," she said. "He's got to find his feet again, which isn't going to be easy because life has moved on and even the city has changed so much." He used to play darts at the Prince of Wales pub in the central city, but that had now gone like many other buildings in the city, she said. Mrs Ellis said her son would live with her in Christchurch and it was hoped a job for him could be finalised soon. She had always received a good reception in the community and she did not think her son would be treated any differently to her, she said. The fight to secure a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the case would continue, she said. "He can't really get on with his life until there is some sort of resolution and the charges are cleared away," she said. Knowing he was innocent had kept him going during his prison term and he was not leaving prison bitter, she said. Ellis has failed to have his convictions overturned despite two applications to the Governor-General and a second hearing in the Court of Appeal late last year. A third petition was lodged with the Governor-General for a pardon and a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the case after the latest court decision. A spokesman for Justice Minister Phil Goff said yesterday that a decision on the commission of inquiry would be made in the near future. Ellis's lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said a commission of inquiry could consider evidence which the Court of Appeal rejected as outside its powers. A book on the case by Dunedin author Lynley Hood is expected to be released this year. She has been working on the book for more than five years.