Conviction - trailer (COPY) (COPY) (COPY) (COPY)
Available on
Apple Podcasts - Spotify - iHeart
In the early 1990’s Aotearoa’s garden city Christchurch was torn apart by accusations of child sexual abuse at a creche owned by the City Council.
The story begins when a four year old boy makes the comment “I don’t like Peter’s black penis”.
This comment would propel 30-year-old childcare worker Peter Ellis into a nightmare which saw him spend seven years in prison for crimes he says he did not commit.
Yet the children and families who accused Ellis remain convinced of his guilt that the results of his actions will be with them forever.
In this 12-part podcast series, hosted by Alexander Behse and Ali Jones and released from September 29, you’ll hear stories never told before, from people who have never spoken out before.
It’s the result of a five-year investigation that includes interviews with dozens of the key players and lays bare the events – here and overseas – that changed their lives.
Follow and listen to Conviction: The Christchurch Civic Creche case below, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.
Available on
Episode 1 - Peter's Black Penis
Who was Peter Ellis, the childcare worker at the centre of the accusations and how did he come to work there? To set the scene, we meet people with many different connections to what was to become the most notorious child sexual abuse case in this country’s history.
Peter was living in a small weatherboard cottage at Leithfield Beach. A wood fire warmed up his small, probably 2-bedroom, home. He had lots of animals inside and out and decorated his space in his own way.
Peter’s home was a riot of colour outside too, thanks to his flowering garden.
Peter’s home was a riot of colour outside too, thanks to his flowering garden.
Peter lived surrounded by knick knacks, his style eclectic.
Peter lived surrounded by knick knacks, his style eclectic.
Bunches of fake flowers add more colour to Peter’s already colourful living space.
Bunches of fake flowers add more colour to Peter’s already colourful living space.
A clown hangs from the ceiling in Peter Ellis’s living room
A clown hangs from the ceiling in Peter Ellis’s living room
The lime green walls in Peter’s home were covered in artwork.
The lime green walls in Peter’s home were covered in artwork.
A book shelf in Peter’s lounge holds a stereo and untold ornaments
A book shelf in Peter’s lounge holds a stereo and untold ornaments
Peter’s love of animals was reflected in his decor. Soft animal toys and cushions with animal pictures abound.
Peter’s love of animals was reflected in his decor. Soft animal toys and cushions with animal pictures abound.
Episode 2 - Poo Sticks
A child’s comment to his parents that he doesn’t like ‘Peter’s black penis’ leads to Ellis being suspended by his shocked supervisor and sets off the first depth charge beneath the creche community: we hear the impact on the creche families, teachers and Ellis; the police investigation begins and we learn about the growing global panic about child abuse.
Episode 3 - The Perfect Storm
The accusations against Peter Ellis mirror similar cases in the US and Australia, rumours of ritual satanic abuse emerge, and a rising tide of moral panic swirls around the creche. Police step up investigations after a second child speaks up, while Ellis is left withdrawn, stunned and now unemployed.
Episode 4 - Money Talks
The day Peter turns 34 police search his house and he’s arrested. Rumours of paedophilia are front page news. Creche parents take sides and as child abuse experts start interviewing the children and advising the parents, more allegations arise.
Episode 5 - Total Recall
Who to believe? As creche children are interviewed, more distressing allegations of abuse some to light. Some however are fantastical stories. So what exactly are the children saying? Are the interviews reliable? And can we rely on the memories of mostly pre-school children?
Episode 6 - Spikehead, Stupidhead & Boulderhead
By October 1992, 119 children have been interviewed and some allegations extend to murder. We look at some of the more extreme claims and ask if they are fantasy or fact and where they might have come from. Meanwhile, the other creche staff are shocked to learn they too are under suspicion and a new report turns their lives upside down.
Episode 7 - The Women
Four female creche workers are arrested in a series of police raids on their homes. The police are extending their investigation and it’s not just Ellis in their sights, as both he and the women prepare for court.
Episode 8 - 11 Long Weeks
As the divisions in the community intensify one year on from those first allegations, the preliminary court hearing against Peter Ellis and the four women begins. Together they face 60 charges of sexual offending against 20 children.
Episode 9 - Twists
Peter Ellis’s friends help him scrub up his image and the trial begins before a conservative Catholic judge, a potentially compromised jury and with a young defence lawyer working under a weight of grief and out of his depth. And the children get their day in court
Episode 10 - Turns
The trial grinds on, loyalties are tested, exhaustion sets in. We explore the evidence given by experts, police and staff, hear the cross-examinations and ask if they got it wrong. The creche layout, contamination by parents and interviewers, the lack of physical evidence all come into play and the defence team decides if Ellis will take the stand. Then, the verdict.
Episode 11 - 2,416 Days
Peter Ellis is found guilty of 16 counts of abuse in relation to 7 children. As he begins his 10 year sentence the shock of prison life is profound. But there’s help and support from surprising quarters. Then, after 15 months, a child retracts her evidence and Ellis and his lawyers plan an appeal.
During his time in prison, Peter Ellis was a prolific letter writer. His correspondence was funny and provocative and sometimes bittersweet.
He was keen to hear news of the outside world, particularly about his animals who had been farmed out to friends to look after.
Peter enjoyed writing and receiving letters and would badger those who had gone without writing for longer than a week.
But one of the outstanding parts of his letters was the way he decorated them. Most were covered with beautiful drawings, some of which are displayed below.
A cartoon of puppies in a basket filled with Christmas presents decorates a letter sent during Peter’s first Christmas in prison.
A cartoon of puppies in a basket filled with Christmas presents decorates a letter sent during Peter’s first Christmas in prison.
Bright flowers surround a cartoon brown mouse
Bright flowers surround a cartoon brown mouse
A self-portrait of Peter Ellis
A self-portrait of Peter Ellis
A cartoon woman with wings and a caterpillar tail in front of a detailed night sky
A cartoon woman with wings and a caterpillar tail in front of a detailed night sky
A brightly coloured bird sits in half an egg-shell surrounded by hearts and musical notes.
A brightly coloured bird sits in half an egg-shell surrounded by hearts and musical notes.
A cartoon mouse in a nightshirt surrounded by candles is juxtaposed against the words “Desolate: Laid waste; afflicted; forlorn; to make desert; to ravage.
A cartoon mouse in a nightshirt surrounded by candles is juxtaposed against the words “Desolate: Laid waste; afflicted; forlorn; to make desert; to ravage.
Episode 12 - Legacy
We’ll never know for sure what happened when Peter Ellis worked at the Christchurch Civic Creche or what happened to the child who attended. But over 30 years people’s lives have been changed forever. Key players in the case share their stories and, in the months and days before his death, Ellis reflects on the events that shadowed his life.
Read more from Conviction
Timeline - Conviction
Prior to the Christchurch Civic Creche case
1973 - the Dean Corll case, first modern investigation into child pornography
1980 - ‘Michelle Remembers’ is released
1982 - McMartin Preschool case - runs for 11 years (through to 1992)
September 1991 - Family Violence conference held in Christchurch with workshops on Satanic Ritual Abuse.
1985 - Kelly Michaels’ case begins
Christchurch Civic Creche case
1991
20 November - First complaint laid
21 November - Peter Ellis is suspended
2 December - First meeting for creche parents
20 December - Creche investigation closed
1992
23 January - Peter Ellis is dismissed from the creche
30 January - Mandy makes her complaint - the first official disclosure
19 February - Police investigation is re-opened
27 February - First formal disclosure resulting in a conviction
30 March - Peter Ellis is arrested
31 March - Knox Hall meeting + Peter Ellis makes first court appearance
From January - October more than 110 children are interviewed, some multiple times
6 August - Formal disclosure of the circle incident
12 August - Phase II of the police investigation launched - the women are investigated
28 August - Dr Zelas writes to DS John Ell with concerns about parental contamination
3 September - Creche closed
1 October - Gaye Davidson, Marie Keys, Janice Buckingham and Debbie Gillespie are arrested
2 November - Depositions begins. The five defendants charged with 60 counts relating to 20 children. Peter Ellis is facing 45.
8 November - Peter Ellis is assaulted during the depositions
1993
11 February - Depositions ends - all five defendants are sent to trial
5 March - Gillespie discharged
6 April - Davidson, Keys and Buckingham discharged
26 April - Peter Ellis HC trial begins - charged with 28 counts against 13 children.
5 June - Ellis trial ends - he is found guilty of 16 counts in relation to 7 children.
22 June - Ellis sentenced to 10 years in prison
July - Government rejects calls for a commission of inquiry
15 December - Women’s applications for costs is denied
1994
25-28 July - First Ellis appeal begins again (Panckhurst)
- A child retracts her allegations.
5 August - First appeal ends.
8 September - Judgement delivered. Convictions relating to retracting child are quashed. All others stand.
1995
22 February - Application for legal aid to Privy Council
27 Feb - 8 March - Creche staff employment case
15 March - Privy Council application denied
16 March - Creche staff interim judgement
7 April - Creche staff supplementary judgement
8 June - Government rejects 2nd calls for commission of inquiry
1996
21-22 August - Creche staff employment court appeal
26 September - Appeal verdicts
1997
2 December - Petition for prerogative of mercy (Abblett-Kerr)
1998
February - Ellis refuses and is refused parole
4 May - Ellis case referred to Court of Appeal
18 November - 2nd petition for prerogative of mercy
1999
January - 2nd petition referred to Sir Thomas Thorp
February - Ellis refuses and is refused parole
13 May - Ellis case referred to Court of Appeal
5-9 July - Second Ellis appeal
14 October - Second appeal judgement delivered
18 October - 3rd Ellis prerogative of mercy
2000
2 February - Ellis completes sentence and is released from jail
10 March - Eichelbaum inquiry established
2001
13 March - Eichelbaum Report released and as a result govt. rejects calls for pardon and commission of inquiry.
2003
June - Petition presented to parliament requesting a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
2005
A report is tabled which does not recommend a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
2019
25 July - Ellis applies for leave to appeal to Supreme Court
31 July - Ellis granted right to appeal to the Supreme Court
4 September - Peter Ellis dies, aged 61
14 November - Hearing to decide whether appeal should continue. SC takes written submissions on whether appeal should continue on tīkanga grounds.
2020
25 June - Hearing into whether appeal should continue on tīkanga grounds
2 September - Supreme Court allows appeal to continue
2021
4 October - Supreme Court hearing begins
2022
7 October - Supreme Court quashes Peter Ellis convictions
Credits
Alexander Behse - Host and Executive Producer
Ali Jones - Host
Tim Watkin - Executive Producer, RNZ Podcasts & Series
Liz Garton - Producer, RNZ Podcasts & Series
Aliki Tsiantoulas - Writer
Blair Stagpoole - Audio Engineer
Rangi Powick - Audio Engineer
RNZ - Webpage Design
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Key Art draws inspiration from the cover page of North & South magazine, November 2015, illustrated by Henrietta Harris. Courtesy North & South magazine.
Thanks to Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision for help with some of the archival audio, as well as Mediaworks/Discovery; GettyImages/TVNZ and the LIVINGSTONE FAMILY TRUST.
A big thanks also goes out to Lynley Hood, Melanie Reid, Martin van Beynan, Alan Sampson and Ross Francis for their persistent work over the decades. And to everyone who spoke on and off the record, from the colleagues at the creche, the academics, lawyers, creche staff and families. In actual fact, anyone who assisted us in whatever shape and form.
A special thanks to Peter's extended family, Stephen, Winston & Roger, John, Rob, Annie, Philippa, and Jane.
Built with Shorthand