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Otago Daily Times
March 14, 2001
Ellis' counsel studies options
"I have not
found anything like a borderline judgement."
Police and social workers hailed the report as a "vindication" for
them and Ellis' child victims, all of whom had been attacked by Ellis'
defence team as lacking credibility.
Child, Youth and Family's chief social worker Shannon Pakura said the focus
should be on the former creche children, now in their teens.
"We shouldn't forget that they are the victims, not Ellis . . . I hope
it will help them deal with any ongoing effects of the abuse they
suffered."
Christie McDonald, QC, who represented the parents and children involved in
the Ellis case during the inquiry, said repeatedly raising the case had been
of great concern to them and they were relieved it was finally concluded.
However, at a press conference in Dunedin
yesterday, Mrs Ablett Kerr said she would have to think about the next step.
Possible options included taking the case to the Privy Council or the Court
of Human Rights.
"The report is naturally disappointing and, to some extent, has taken us
by surprise," Mrs Ablett Kerr said.
She said she had explained to Ellis that the investigation was unlikely to
address the "real issues" that were so troubling in his case,
because the terms of reference were too narrow.
"Although we never felt that the inquiry could provide the answers,
because it just didn't have enough material, we tried to assist the inquiry
as much as we could."
Mrs Ablett Kerr said she accepted Prof Davies as an international expert and
said that, in his report, he had formed the same view as her that there
needed to be a wider inquiry to judge whether the evidence of the children
was contaminated.
Prof Davies appeared to be of the view that a wider inquiry was under way,
which was not the case, she said.
Children's Commissioner Roger McClay said in a statement he hoped the
children and families involved in the case would now be allowed to get on
with their lives.
"For too long, New
Zealand has witnessed a remarkably
effective media campaign which has poured doubt on the word of the children
abused and molested at the Christchurch Civic Creche by Peter Ellis," Mr
McClay said.
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