Peter Ellis, man at centre of Chch creche sex case, has died

Wednesday, 4 September 2019, 4:41 pm
Article: RNZ

Peter Ellis, who was at the centre of the Christchurch creche sex case, has died, his lawyer has confirmed to RNZ News.

Peter Ellis, pictured in 1992 Photo: Supplied

Ellis, who was 61 years old, served seven years of a 10-year jail sentence for abusing seven children at the Christchurch Civic Creche in 1991.

He always maintained his innocence.

Three convictions were overturned in 1994 after one of the children said she lied.

Mr Ellis' legal team filed an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in July to consider whether there was a miscarriage of justice due to the children's evidence being improperly obtained, a lack of expert evidence and unreliable expert evidence at his trial.

A statement from his lawyer said Mr Ellis died peacefully surrounded by family and friends.

Mr Hampton said he saw him yesterday and realised his death was imminent.

"It comes as sadness but not as a surprise," he said.

"His abiding reason for struggling on for as long as he has done against this illness has been to see this case through to the Supreme Court and to see his name cleared."

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