[2] In the 1997 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, in recognition of his service as a judge of the High Court.
[3] Thorp served as chairman of the National Parole Board and sat as a member of the Court of Appeal.
He said that section 23G of the Evidence Act should be repealed because it allowed an expert to say that there was no behaviour inconsistent with sexual abuse.
His report recommended that the Justice Ministry obtain the opinion of Stephen J. Ceci with regard to the children's evidence.
[citation needed] His report contrasts with that written by Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, which upheld Ellis's conviction.