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No inquiry into Peter Ellis case: Minister

Author
Felix Marwick ,
Publish Date
Tue, 21 Apr 2015, 11:48AM
Convicted child molester Peter Ellis  with his lawyer Judith AblettKerr in 2000 (Getty Images)
Convicted child molester Peter Ellis with his lawyer Judith AblettKerr in 2000 (Getty Images)

No inquiry into Peter Ellis case: Minister

Author
Felix Marwick ,
Publish Date
Tue, 21 Apr 2015, 11:48AM

Updated 8.10pm: The Justice Minister has rejected suggestions her officials have had a an axe to grind against convicted child molester Peter Ellis.

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today knocked back the application lodged by Dr Brash and author Lynley Hood.

Don Brash is disappointed at the decision made by Justice Minister Amy Adams.

"One of her own Cabinet colleagues had children in the creche at a time when Peter Ellis was allegedly committing his offences. And that member of the Cabinet believes him to be innocent. I've been told by a member of the Supreme Court that they think the case is unsound."

Lynley Hood, who wrote the book 'A City Possessed', says the Government has its head in the sand over the unreliable evidence from the children.

"It's extremely disappointing. This is the justice system kicking for touch again, rather than facing up to one of the most egregious miscarriages of justice in New Zealand history."

Dr Brash says the evidence that any crime was committed is skimpy, let alone that Peter Ellis did it.

He says it's a disgrace on the justice system and successive Justice Ministers have been putting process ahead of justice.

However Amy Adams says implications from them that vested interests within the Ministry of Justice have precluded proper consideration of Mr Ellis's case are completely without merit.

"Simply saying it doesn't make it the case. Many points that the Ministry has been actually in favour of further consideration, so I just think there's nothing that supports that allegation except the fact that they don't like the decision reached."

She says the ministry's reports on the matter contain the kind of responsible, professional advice a Minister of Justice should expect to receive.

Adams says an inquiry can't be used to determine liability.

But Author Lynley Hood says it's not about liability, but putting evidence from the children under the microscope.

"There's considerable public anxiety about the matter. Great concern that the justice system has failed and failed repeatedly. The problem with the Privy Council is that there is no evidence that a crime was ever committed."

 

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