The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
	News Reports
	2001 Jan-June
	The Evening Post March 15 2001 Fresh complaint laid against Ellis NZPA A fresh complainant in the Peter Ellis case went to police after a lawyer and Children's Commissioner Roger McClay were consulted, The Press reported today. An 18-year-old Christchurch man and his family had approached police over his allegations that he had been sexually abused by Ellis at Christchurch Civic Crèche and off the premises. The Press understood he contacted police again this year, and made a formal complaint in January. Police are not commenting on how they are treating the complaint, and the Crown Law Office would not confirm whether the complaint had been referred to it for consideration. Ellis, freed in February last year after serving two-thirds of a 10-year sentence for his conviction on 13 charges of abusing children, has continued to maintain his innocence. His latest bid for a pardon was rejected on Tuesday. Justice Minister Phil Goff said that a ministerial inquiry by former Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum found Ellis' case failed by a "distinct margin" to prove his conviction was unsafe and that he had advised the Governor-General to reject the bid. Kathryn Johnston, co-ordinator for the Support Network for Parents and Caregivers of Sexually Abused Children, said the latest complainant was spurred into action by Ellis' release from prison. Ellis' lawyer, Judith Ablett Kerr QC, said she knew nothing more about the allegations.