|
Waikato Times
July 22, 2002
Ellis case: ex-colleague hits back
NZPA
A former supervisor of the Christchurch Civic Crèche is terrified of
being implicated in another child abuse scandal -- but says she has nothing
to hide.
Gaye Davidson has been asked to contact police probing new allegations of
historic sexual abuse at the crèche.
Business cards from two Christchurch
detectives were last week left at her front door.
The same detectives have also visited former crèche worker Peter Ellis to
request an interview over an abuse allegation dating back more than 10 years.
Ellis, who has always protested his innocence, was paroled from prison in
February 2000 after serving 6 1/2 years for abusing seven children in his
care.
Ms Davidson and three other female co-workers -- Marie Keys, Jan Buckingham,
and Debbie Gillespie -- had indecent assault and sexual violation charges
dropped in 1992-93.
This latest approach by police has clearly rattled Ms Davidson, 48, who has
always insisted no children were abused at the crèche. "I'm dumbfounded.
I can't believe they're revisiting it. I'm lost for words, to be
honest," she said.
Ms Davidson said she had no intention of helping police with their
inquiry. "I helped them honestly
and freely last time and look what happened," she said. "If they
want to dream up this crap, they can sort it out themselves."
It is understood that neither Ms Keys nor Ms Gillespie has been approached by
police. Ms Buckingham died in December 2000.
The allegations have reportedly come from a teenager who attended the crèche
when Ellis worked there between 1986 and 1991.
Ellis claimed the timing of the police visits was no coincidence, coming just
a couple of days before the awarding on Saturday of New Zealand's top
literary prize to A City Possessed --
Dunedin author Lynley Hood's definitive account of the crèche case.
"When do they do it? They do it two days before the Montana Book Awards
. . . the whole thing is intimidation," Ellis said.
Hood has called for a royal commission into the case.
|
