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The Press
March 13, 2001
Ellis ministerial inquiry decision to be released
The results of a ministerial inquiry into the conviction of Peter Ellis on
child sex charges will be made public today.
Justice Minister Phil Goff will release the findings this afternoon. Ellis
has travelled to Dunedin
to be with his lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, when she receives the advice
of the Governor-General, in relation to his third petition.
Mr Goff confirmed last week that he had seen the report of retired chief
justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, but wanted those involved to read it before it
was made public.
Sir Thomas investigated whether the way the evidence was gathered against
Ellis was sound and, if not, whether the breaches were so serious that a
pardon was warranted.
Debate has raged over the case since Ellis' conviction in 1993 on 13 charges
of sexually abusing children in his care at the Christchurch Civic Creche.
Ellis, 41, spent 6 ½ years in prison but maintained his innocence throughout
and refused early parole because it would have required that he admit guilt.
He was freed in February last year.
Meanwhile, Dunedin author Lynley Hood has a
new publisher for her delayed book on the controversial case, after a fallout
with a Christchurch
publisher.
The book, A City Possessed, was supposed to have been published by Canterbury
University Press (CUP) last year but the contract was terminated after a
disagreement between CUP and Ms Hood.
The book has now been picked up by Dunedin
publisher Longacre Press, and will be released this year.
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