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Detective Collin Eade was not involved in that case.

A closer examination of his involvement with the Christchurch civic crash case led to a number of concerns.

His first notes written when he took down Ms Magnolia's complaint featured a comment about Peter Ellis.

Quote, He is apparently homosexual.

From the outset, he appeared to consider Peter Ellis a dangerous man despite no physical evidence that he had harmed any children.

Although Ms Magnolia's complaint didn't lead anywhere, the case was reopened after a second child known as Mandy Arbutus made a disclosure.

Although Mandy hadn't attended the creche, she said she was abused when she and her mother went to pick up her younger siblings.

Detective Ede found this allegation particularly alarming and thought it looked really serious.

But Mandy's claims never resulted in any charges against Peter Ellis.

Her mother withdrew Mandy from the case and made a complaint to the police at the same time.

She reported that Detective Ede had propositioned her.

He later admitted to this, saying that he'd returned home after drinking heavily and received a phone call from Miss Arbutus.

During that call he, quote, stupidly propositioned her.

The next day he'd tried to pass it off as a joke, but he had meant it.

Detective Ede later went on to have romantic relationships with two other mothers involved in the case, though he said these occurred well after Peter Ellis' trial and incarceration.

Peter Ellis had faced a lot of harassment and intimidation ever since the allegations against him first aired.

His life was repeatedly threatened and a bullet was even mailed to him.

On one occasion, he was physically jumped and beaten up by four men who broke into his home.

After he was incarcerated, it was expected that the danger would only increase.

For the first month that he was incarcerated in Christchurch Men's Prison, commonly referred to as Paparua, Peter received constant abuse from other inmates.