|
NZ
Herald
August 18 2003
Ellis abuse definitely real, says teen
One of the key
witnesses in the Peter Ellis sex abuse case is disputing claims that his
memory has been manipulated.
The witness, now 17, was one of the creche children whose evidence helped to
convict Ellis of sex crimes 10 years ago.
Ellis has always protested his innocence, but after a decade the youth has gone
public to say he was definitely abused.
He said the only thing that would give him closure was for Ellis to publicly
apologise for what he had done.
"I have to say something," the youth told One News last night.
"I'd rather not. I'd rather it would all just go away."
The witness was at the Christchurch Civic Creche from when he was 3 to age 5.
He disagreed with claims by Ellis supporter and author Dr Lynley Hood that he
and the other complainants cracked under pressure and had unreliable memories.
"I can remember a lot of things very well - vividly even."
He said the things that happened to him as a child would be in his mind
forever.
"I was abused, sexually abused, at the Civic Creche by Peter
Ellis."
The youth said he felt it happening "all over again" because of
recent publicity about the case.
But another former creche child whose parents withdrew her from the trial
told TV3 the creche staff were good workers and Ellis did not deserve to go
to jail.
"It has ruined Peter's life," she said. "It will never be the
way it should have been.
"After [my parents] saw the interviews they said, 'Nothing is happening
here'.
"If it wasn't so serious it would be really funny."
Publicity about the case has been fuelled by a petition calling for a
commission of inquiry. It was organised by National MPs Katherine Rich and Dr
Don Brash and signed by more than 140 high-profile New Zealanders.
Millionaire publisher Barry Colman paid more than $20,000 for an
advertisement in the Sunday Star-Times newspaper containing transcripts of
testimonies, some of which were not played to the jury that convicted Ellis.
He served seven years in jail.
The petition will go before a select committee hearing at Parliament this
month.
Outgoing Children's Commissioner Roger McClay has been contacted by children
involved in the creche inquiry wanting to know how they can make a submission
to the select committee.
They have asked for legal funding and justice officials are considering their
request.
The teenagers have said it is unfair that Ellis has financial backing of
wealthy supporters while they do not even have a lawyer to speak on their
behalf.
Mr McClay said it would be "outrageous" if the former creche
children could not say what they wanted to to a select committee because they
did not have the money for an airfare.
|
