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The
Christchurch Civic Creche Case |
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Christchurch: A
parliamentary inquiry into the Christchurch Civic Creche case has recommended
the way be cleared for Peter Ellis to appeal to the Privy Council and for the
taxpayer to pay for it. Parliament’s justice
and electoral select committee yesterday released its long-awaited report
into a petition by Ellis supporters, including National Party leader Don
Brash, demanding an inquiry into the case. The committee rejected
a request for a royal commission, but recommended the Attorney General not
oppose a new application by Mr Ellis for leave to appeal to the Privy
Council, and recommended the Legal Services Agency provide legal aid for the
bid. The committee also
recommended: The next justice and
electoral committee investigate amendments to legislation governing
children’s statements, trial counsel, and the role of experts in considering
children’s evidence. A Criminal Cases Review
Authority be established to deal with people alleging a miscarriage of
justice. Law changes to ensure
those accused by multiple complainants are not prejudiced by the totality of
the charges. Mr Ellis said yesterday
he was disappointed but not surprised the committee had denied his request
for a royal commission of inquiry. "The
recommendations are good in a sense that they at least admit there were some
problems in the way they [the court system] look at kids’ testimony," he
said. Mr Ellis was convicted
in 1993 on 16 sexual abuse charges based on the testimony of seven children
who attended Christchurch’s Civic Creche. One of the children
later withdrew her complaint during an appeal against the High Court
convictions. Mr Ellis said he was
considering an appeal to the Privy Council. It was important to
weigh up the options: whether to appeal to the Privy Council, or wait and see
whether a National government would grant a royal commission of inquiry. Dunedin author Lynley
Hood, who wrote A City Possessed: The Christchurch Civic Creche Case, and
supports Mr Ellis, said the case had a strong public following and successive
governments had failed to deal with it. Sooner or later, a full independent
inquiry would be needed. Mr Ellis said the
release of the report two days before Parliament’s closure meant its findings
could be ignored by a new government. Justice and electoral
select committee chairman Tim Barnett said the committee’s findings went
further than a royal commission. |
