MANAWATU "EVENING STANDARD"

Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Thursday, October 18, 2001.

Front Page.

ELLIS SHOULD RECEIVE PARDON: BEHRENS

By DAVE MAHONEY

PALMERSTON North Queen's Counsel Mike Behrens says the Government should immediately pardon Peter Ellis, the Christchurch man convicted of child sex abuse.

Mr Behrens made the comment in his review of Lynley Hood's book, A City Possessed - the Christchurch Civic Creche Case.

Ellis, who was sentenced to 10 years' jail in 1993, after being convicted on 13 sexual abuse charges, was released nearly two years ago.

Mr Behrens said the, book devastated him, and laid waste law makers, sexual abuse professionals, child protection workers, policemen, lawyers, judges, parents and "any image we might have of ourselves as a thinking, caring culture immune from nonsense''.

"A Jury, eight judges of the Court of Appeal and a ministerial inquiry chaired by a former chief justice have considered a case against Peter Ellis, but no one has actually considered all the evidence against him.

"Some bizarre legal rulings have ensured that the case about him has never been examined. Those who believe that the adversarial system is the bee's knees must be discomforted by the explanation of how it was that the jury did not see all the evidential tapes made by the child complainants."

He said it was ironic New Zealand was looking at ditching the Privy Council, because politicians thought the country could deliver justice.

"This book shows that we are very much adolescent in our fumbling with it. Parliament would do much better to read this book and then move to pardon Peter Ellis."

* Mr Behrens' review will appear on the books page, in its new Friday slot for the first time tomorrow.

Photos: Mike Behrens, Peter Ellis.