|
|
The
Christchurch Civic Creche Case |
|
|
|
|
Convicted childcare
worker Peter Ellis will find out today whether there is political support for
a government inquiry into his case. After two years of
behind-closed-doors deliberation, the justice and electoral select committee
chaired by Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett is ready to make its
recommendations on whether a Government inquiry into Ellis' convictions for
sexually abusing children in his care is warranted. Ellis was convicted in
1993 of sexually molesting children at the Christchurch Civic Creche where he
worked. One of the seven preschoolers he was found guilty of abusing later
retracted the allegations and three of Ellis' convictions have since been
quashed. Ellis, who has always
maintained his innocence, served two-thirds of a 10-year jail sentence. A petition calling for
a top-level look at the creche case has been with the Justice and Electoral
Select Committee for two years. Mr Barnett said
yesterday the committee would be making its recommendations in a report to
the government at 10am today before holding a press conference in
Christchurch to make the findings public. "I think it's an
interesting response and a full response," said Mr Barnett. He is prevented by the
rules of Parliament from releasing the findings before the report goes to the
Government. "All the issues
are nationwide but I know there's a particular interest in the case in
Christchurch, which is why we are holding the media conference here." Mr Barnett said the
committee could only make recommendations, it could not force the Government
to hold an inquiry. National has already
said it would hold a "full inquiry" into the case, in the event of
an election victory. Party leader Don Brash made the promise in an email to
an Ellis supporter. Ellis' lawyer Judith Ablett-Kerr,
QC, has petitioned the Governor-General three times since 1997 for a
commission of inquiry. Two applications to
appeal the verdict have failed, despite commentators voicing concerns about
how evidence was gathered in the light of uncorroborated testimony by
children. In February 2001,
retired Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, asked to write a report on the
case by Justice Minister Phil Goff, pronounced the convictions safe but
experts have since claimed that his findings were flawed. |
