A new complaint has been made against convicted child sex offender Peter Ellis, more than a year after his death.
The information came to light in a Supreme Court hearing in Wellington on Wednesday - however the details of the complaint are suppressed.
Police were aware of the newest complaint in February 2019 - Ellis died months later in September, shortly after he was granted leave to appeal the charges against him.
Ellis was convicted in 1993 on 16 charges of sexual offences against children in his care at the Christchurch Civic Creche.
Three of his convictions were later quashed and Ellis always maintained his innocence.
Crown lawyers told the Supreme Court on Friday they had only had the affidavit sworn in days before the hearing today.
The Supreme Court is hearing submissions on how to proceed.
Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann pointed out Ellis had not had a chance to comment on the complaint while he was alive.
The argument for a posthumous appeal is centred around Tikanga Māori - including the concept that 'mana' continues after death. The Māori Law Society was asked in court in July whether death brings the matter to an end.
"From a Tikanga Māori point of view, for the reasons that I've explained, the answer would be no," Māori Law Society's Matanuku Mahuika said.
