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Otago
Daily Times
August 18, 2003
Dunedin author hits out at complainants
by Staff Reporters and NZPA
Dunedin author
Lynley Hood is horrified children whose evidence resulted in Peter Ellis'
child-abuse convictions have stepped up to reaffirm his guilt.
Ms Hood, who attacked the case against Mr Ellis in her book, A City Possessed
, said it was "outrageous" the complainants, now aged 17, felt
compelled to speak out while professionals involved in the case stayed
silent.
Two Ellis complainants have lashed out at those who doubt any child was
violated at the Christchurch Civic Creche.
"I'm sick of being called a liar," one said. "And if I don't
say anything, Peter Ellis will keep going around saying he's innocent and
more people will believe him,"
Both teenagers were adamant they had been sexually abused. Seven of 16
charges Mr Ellis was found guilty of related to the pair.
They feel they are being called liars, especially since Ellis supporter
National Business Review publisher Barry Colman paid for advertisements
containing children's evidential interviews.
Ms Hood, who, along with Dunedin National list MP Katherine Rich, is pushing
for a royal commission of inquiry, said nobody had accused them of lying.
"Those two kids were the most pressured and manipulated of the all the
children, by parents and therapists and interviewers," Ms Hood said.
The type of interviewing they were subjected to as children, with leading
questions, was known to induce false memories which could seem "as real as
any other memories".
"I think the most scandalous part is the sex-abuse industry hiding
behind the children," she said.
"It's not the kids who should be fronting up and trying to defend what
happened. It's the interviewers, the therapists, the police, and the
prosecutors who should have known better. It's absolutely outrageous,"
Ms Hood said.
As well, Mrs Rich said a petition for the royal commission of inquiry could
be jeopardised by a Privy Council appeal.
"It would be a shame if the select committee used going to the Privy
Council as an excuse not to deal with it [the petition]," Mrs Rich said.
The select committee was sparked by the petition, signed by 140 prominent New
Zealanders, including Act New Zealand MP Stephen Franks. He is deputy chairman
of the justice and electoral select committee which will decide its fate, but
said yesterday he would not step aside from the deliberations.
Signing it did not automatically mean he believed Mr Ellis was innocent but
he had concerns about the influence of feminist-driven views on cases of
child sex abuse at that time.
Select committee chairman, Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett, said Justice
Ministry and petitioners briefings were due by the end of the month. He
expected submissions would be sought but the proceedings' scope was still to
be decided.
A recommendation to the Cabinet could be months away.
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