The Christchurch Civic Creche Case

News Reports Index

2002 Jan-June Index



The Press
February 19 2002.

Ellis asks Goff for new inquiry
 
Peter Ellis has called on Justice Minister Phil Goff to launch a new inquiry into his conviction after the New Zealand Law Journal highlighted flaws in the way his case was handled.

Mr Ellis, who was convicted on child abuse charges in 1993 but has always maintained his innocence, was released from prison in 2000 after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence. His conviction was referred to the Court of Appeal twice and was the subject of a ministerial inquiry.

An editorial in the New Zealand Law Journal published yesterday identified systemic flaws and said former Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum's judgment, when leading a ministerial inquiry into the case, was either wrongly directed or at fault.

It cited Lynley Hood's book A City Possessed as "the first attempt at a review of the whole case from the investigation onwards".

Journal editor Bernard Robertson calls for a repeal of the Evidence Act and questions whether the appeal process works.

"Each of the reviews and appeals suffered from some limitation, self-imposed or otherwise."

Mr Ellis said last night that the editorial in the independent journal vindicated his call for an inquiry.

"Phil Goff should honour the word of the Court of Appeal which said there should be a commission of inquiry. As far as I'm concerned he is getting poor advice."

Mr Robertson said the strength of the 600-page book was the full reproduction of witness statements, in contrast to the Court of Appeal's admission that it examined extracts of the statements. The ministerial inquiry had similar limitations.

Mr Robertson said the courts could have been "conned" by psychologists.