A murderer who was one of the first people in the country to be given a life sentence and preventive detention, has been declined parole after his behaviour deteriorated while on temporary release.
Anthony Phillip Hitchcock (56) was denied parole at a hearing of the New Zealand Parole Board earlier this year.
In December 1996, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with preventive detention for using an axe to murder a 26-year-old woman, and then trying to rape her young daughter, including dragging her around her Oamaru home with a cord around her neck.
Annie Beattie, of Oamaru, a friend and former sister-in-law of the murdered woman, told the Otago Daily Times yesterday Hitchcock was ''where he needs to be''.
''He is an at-risk person in our society. He is 56 years of age now, and if he hasn't learnt through his years of being behind bars, is he ever going to learn?''Hitchcock appeared before the parole board last year. It supported a psychologist's recommendation of temporary release.
''It seemed that as a result of intensive counselling and treatment, his assessed medium/high risk of violent/sexual offending could be mitigated,'' the board noted.
After heart surgery and a period of recovery, Hitchcock was transferred from an undisclosed prison and later completed a 16-week temporary release period, which was extended for another period.
''But by November, Mr Hitchcock's behaviour had deteriorated and his risk escalated to such a degree that it was necessary to return him to prison.''
Staff involved in his rehabilitation observed behaviour which they considered strong indicators of ''escalating and imminent risk''.
These include sexualised comments and inappropriate behaviour towards young women.
Hitchcock accepted a psychologist's recommendation that he needed further intensive treatment.
His victims asked the board to make a further postponement order.
''They believe that he cannot function in society and that he has an enduring pattern of behaviour which cannot be changed,'' the board noted.
