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The Nelson Mail
June 28, 2002
Calls for inquiry growing: author
Dunedin
author Lynley Hood's A City Possessed
has been named the winner of the history section of this year's Montana New
Zealand Book Awards.
The 600-page book gives an account of the controversial Christchurch Civic
Creche case, which led to the jailing of creche worker Peter Ellis in 1993 on
child sex abuse charges.
Hood spoke to a group of senior students at Nelson College
about the demonisation of the accused in sexual abuse cases, during a visit
to the city this week.
Ms Hood also spoke at the Spirited Conversations group meeting on Wednesday
night, where she opened a discussion on the legal issues raised in her book.
Ms Hood said there was a growing demand in the legal profession for a
judicial inquiry into the issues raised in her book.
These ranged from therapists creating false memories in alleged abuse
victims, to the Court of Appeal's refusal to review its decisions without new
evidence. As one of seven section winners, Hood's work , is on the shortlist
for the major non-fiction prize, the Montana Medal.
The medal winners will be named at an Auckland
function on July 20.
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