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Otago Daily Times
October 7 2003
Second Peter Ellis petition attracts 3000 signatures
by Chris Morris
Doubts over the case against former Christchurch
Civic Creche worker and convicted child molester Peter Ellis have prompted
prominent Dunedin and Otago people to join calls for an inquiry.
More than 3000 people across New
Zealand, from former prime ministers to
anarchists, have signed the second petition calling for a Royal Commission of
Inquiry into the Peter Ellis sex abuse case.
The petition was presented to National MPs Don Brash and Katherine Rich in Christchurch yesterday
and will be taken to Parliament for consideration by the justice and
electoral select committee. An earlier petition is already before the
committee.
Mr Ellis was sentenced to 10 years jail in 1993. He served six and a-half
years before being freed in 2000, having always maintained his innocence.
Otago identities, from Dunedin Mayor Sukhi Turner to artist Grahame Sydney, University of Otago academics, staff and other
members of the public, have also added their names to the petition.
University of Otago law faculty Associate Prof James
Allan, a specialist in constitutional law and philosophy of law, signed the
petition.
When contacted yesterday, he said evidence presented to the jury,
particularly that obtained during interviews of children believed to have
been Ellis' victims, was "highly dubious", and reasonable doubt
existed.
"I think, on balance, he probably did not do it, and he certainly should
not have been convicted.
"There's all sorts of reasons to think there is reasonable doubt."
Community Trust of Otago chairman John Farry was another to sign. He too was
concerned about the interviewing of the children, and said it was the
publication of excerpts from the interviews, published in a Sunday newspaper,
and his own legal background that convinced him reasonable doubt existed.
"The statements made by those children were so outlandish as to be
completely ridiculous.
"I have formed grave doubts about the validity of the evidence and the
manner in which it was presented, which I believe could have led to a
miscarriage of justice."
"I have never signed many petitions. I only sign them if I really, truly
care - I think I only signed them about the Iraq War, the Springbok tour and
Peter Ellis," Mr Farry said
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