Case review blamed for Ellis' heart attack

Stress over a bid to quash child abuse convictions is likely to have contributed to convicted paedophile Peter Ellis' heart attack, his mother says.

But Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett, who heads the select committee looking into the Civic Creche case, has defended the 21 months so far taken to consider the call for an inquiry.

Chest pain and sweats struck Ellis, 47, while he was reading at home in North Canterbury on Thursday night.

He was taken by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital, where he remained seriously ill last night in the coronary care unit.

Lesley Ellis was startled when her son knocked on her bedroom door and said, "Mum, I'm having a heart attack."

He "flopped back on his bed and didn't move" as he waited for help.

Mrs Ellis said it had been a draining week for her son, with the loss of staunch supporters Gordon and Mollie Seatter, who died naturally within a few days of each other. He attended their funeral service on Thursday.

Mrs Ellis believed politicians added to her son's already serious health problems by drawing out the decision on a commission of inquiry.

A petition calling for a top-level look at the creche case has been with the Justice and Electoral Select Committee for 21 months. Its chairman, Mr Barnett, said yesterday that he understood the family's frustration, but a report on the petition had required considerably more work than usual. "We want a good, quality report and if it takes time, it takes time."

He said the report might be finished by the end of July.

Cardiac problems feature in Ellis' family. Both his grandfathers died of heart attacks in their 40s.

In 1993 the creche staffer was found guilty of abusing seven children in his care (one complainant later said she had lied, and the relevant convictions were quashed).

Ellis served two-thirds of a 10-year jail sentence and was released in 2000.

- NZPA