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Otago Daily Times
March 14, 2001
Will not give up 'for convenience'
by Sally Rae
Peter Ellis hopes
Justice Minister Phil Goff will be brave enough to look at widening the
inquiry into his case.
Yesterday, Ellis heard his application for a pardon had been declined, the
third time attempts to clear his name have failed.
Ellis, who has always maintained his innocence, appears to have exhausted all
avenues to clear his name.
There have been two failed bids for a pardon and a rare, second Court of Appeal
hearing at which Ellis sought to overturn his 1993 conviction on 13 sex
charges involving seven children in his care at Christchurch civic creche
between 1986 and 1991.
He was released from prison last February after serving two-thirds of a
10-year sentence, having refused early parole because that would have
required him to acknowledge guilt.
Admitting he was tired and looking drawn, Ellis was present with his counsel,
Judith Ablett Kerr QC, at a press conference at Mrs Ablett Kerr's Dunedin office yesterday
afternoon.
Ellis said he would like a wider inquiry completed and to see Prof Stephen
Ceci, a leading world authority on the contamination of evidence of children,
used.
He said putting the Christchurch
civic crèche case in the "too hard basket" because it was
politically convenient was not what true justice was about. "Justice . .
. is about looking at the whole picture and fairness. This has not been done
in this latest limited ministerial inquiry."
"The civic is a part of a worldwide phenomena and New Zealand has not
addressed the phenomena by having a wide-ranging inquiry as Britain, Canada,
America and Australia have done, where similar mass abuse allegations have
arisen and have been dealt with," Ellis said.
While it was convenient for others for the case to be closed, he was an
innocent man "and walking away from the civic crèche case because it is
convenient leaves me still a guilty man".
If he did that, the case would be "just one more" high-profile case
in New Zealand
not answered to the public's satisfaction.
"I will not walk away to make it easier for other people," he said.
With support from family, friends, fellow crèche workers and members of the
public, Ellis said he could "dig deep enough" to go on.
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