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The Press
September 1, 2000
Anger as hearing delayed
by Martin Van Beynen
A six-month delay in the inquiry into Peter Ellis' convictions for child
abuse comes as a complete surprise and is unacceptable, Ellis' lawyer says.
Justice Minister Phil Goff yesterday said he had granted the inquiry head,
retired Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, an extension until February 28.
His original reporting date was yesterday.
The main reason for the extension was to allow for the engagement of high
calibre international experts to assist the inquiry, Mr Goff said.
Ellis' lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, said Ellis was shocked at the
"unacceptable" delay.
"At no time had Mr Ellis or his counsel been advised by the Minister or
the inquiry that this was even contemplated," she said.
The lack of consultation over the process of the inquiry was also
unacceptable, she said.
The terms of the inquiry were that at least two international experts on the
reliability of children's evidence be engaged to look at the case, she said.
Ellis was invited to make submissions on who the experts should be but his
nomination, Cornell
University's Professor
Stephen Ceci, had been rejected.
"Mr Ellis has never been advised as to which expert the inquiry will be
engaging but he has been told he will not be permitted to comment to the
inquiry on their findings," she said.
Ellis was left feeling excluded by the process of the inquiry.
Mr Goff said the best people were in demand and "to a degree we have to
work around their schedules".
The appointment of international experts had also been delayed because legal
representation for the creche families had taken considerably longer than
expected.
The lawyer for the children's parents, Kristy McDonald, QC, said she had no
complaint about the delay.
Ellis, who has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested in
1992, was freed in February after serving two-thirds of a 10-year sentence
for 13 counts of child abuse at Christchurch's
Civic Childcare Centre.
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