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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 leader Don Brash,
demanding an inquiry into the case. The committee rejected
a requested 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. Mr Ellis said yesterday
he was disappointed but not surprised the committee had denied his request
for a royal commission of inquiry. He was pleased the committee's
recommendations could in future help those falsely accused of sex crimes
against children. "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 his High Court
convictions. Mr Ellis said he was considering an appeal to the Privy Council.
The release of the
report two days before Parliament's closure meant its findings could be
ignored by a new government, he said. Justice and electoral
select committee chairman Tim Barnett said the committee rejected the option
of a royal commission because tweaking present laws would "do much more
to improve the standards of justice in our community" Dr Brash said he was
disappointed the select committee had not ordered a royal commission but
could not guarantee Mr Ellis would get a royal commission even if National
won next month's election |
