An appeal against long-standing convictions for former crèche worker Peter Ellis is now underway in the Supreme Court.

The Christchurch Civic Crèche worker always maintained his innocence after being found guilty of 16 counts of sexual abuse in 1993, and repeatedly sought to overthrow the convictions.

He died in September 2019 but the country's highest court agreed to still hear the appeal.

RNZ reporter Emma Hatton has been following the case and spoke to Midday Report's Māni Dunlop