10 episodes
Peter Ellis, the Creche Case & Me Newsroom.co.nz
-
- True Crime
-
-
4.8 • 152 Ratings
-
In never-before-heard interviews, this gripping new series takes you inside one of New Zealand’s most controversial legal cases, when a kind of madness gripped Christchurch, resulting in a miscarriage of justice that would take 30 years to put right. Peter Ellis, the Creche Case & Me is an 8-part Newsroom Investigates podcast presented by Melanie Reid - or watch the series at Newsroom.co.nz
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Episode 1: Unbelievable
In this shocking first episode, we take you into early 1990s Christchurch with its conservatism, white power gangs - and claims that satanic cults and ritual abuse might be occurring under everyone’s noses.
Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Episode 2: Peter Arrested
When Detective Colin Eade and a core group of parents call an urgent meeting, the flames of fear become a bonfire – Eade is convinced Ellis is not acting alone and that at least 10 other offenders are also involved.
Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Episode 3: Police and panic
Up to five children a day are being seen at the police Child Abuse Unit, some put through multiple evidential interviews. The panic spreads through the families, and parents are ballistic with fear - a frenzy being led by therapists and police.
Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Episode 4: Four women arrested
The belief that a ring of child sex abusers made up of a young gay creche worker and four women living normal suburban lives seizes the imaginations of Christchurch’s establishment. Police raid the homes of the women, trawling a backyard goldfish pond, climbing up into rooves and emptying family board games, before arresting and charging them with a raft of offences.
Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Episode 5: The trial
It is June 1993 and the night before the verdict in a case that has consumed the nation with its far-fetched claims of satanic rituals and children being sexually abused with needles and sticks. Accused childcare worker Peter Ellis spends it with young reporter Melanie Reid, recording the very last of their remarkable clandestine interviews in his flat, hours from finding out whether he will be locked away.
Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Episode 6: Prison
As Peter Ellis sits in prison, developments in the case keep coming. A year after he is convicted, the star child witness retracts her testimony saying she was never abused by Ellis at all. Meanwhile a prominent conservative politician does a U-turn and the top cop at the centre of the case admits to multiple affairs with complainant mothers and a social worker.
Presented by award-winning Newsroom Investigates editor Melanie Reid. Discover more at Newsroom.co.nz.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Customer Reviews
Heartbreaking
Hearing Peter speak is like hearing my best friend speak. His cheeky playful charm and character shining brightly. The only thing is my best friend was born a decade later and his sexuality is not even a question.
Enjoyed this podcast immensely not just from how thoroughly it has been researched but by the playing of archive news material and hearing the journalists on rnz with their more BBC-esque voices which is so different to the celebrated regional dialects that we have now. Words inadequately describe how saddened I feel that Peter was robbed of his name being cleared in his lifetime and also his mother’s lifetime. Thank you newsroom for this masterpiece of investigative journalism that really brings to light how unjust the justice system was and how Peter was such a strong advocate for those people who were behind bars because there’s no other place to be for them. Some things have not changed in this time.
Heartbreaking
What an incredible podcast. I’m stunned at how this all played out and heartbroken for Peter Ellis, his family and the other crèche workers and what they went through. Unbelievable. So sad that Peter didn’t live long enough to hear that result. And for gods sake pay some compensation to those women and to Peter’s family… at the very least!!!
Peter Ellis
Great podcast. So gutting that he passed before he was cleared. Someone should be held to account. It more than likely killed him 😢