Watson's fifth parole hearing on Friday morning was adjourned when the board raised the issue of the conflicting information in the reports, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Watson was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years for the 1998 murders of Olivia Hope, 17, and Ben Smart, 21.
It was his first appearance before the Parole Board since November 2021 when he was denied release. The board then found he was well-behaved in prison but had tested a high psychopathy score.
However, after questions were raised about psychological reports presented to the board, the hearing on Friday was adjourned, the Herald reported.
Parole Board chair Sir Ron Young said the findings of reports completed over the past three years differed around Watson’s risk of reoffending.
There had been a very large number of psychological reports done on Watson during his 26 years in prison, those up to November 2021 said he remained at a high, or very high risk of violent reoffending, Sir Ron said.
In September 2023, a further report from Corrections assessed Watson as being at medium risk, while a private psychologist's report assessed him at low risk.
Sir Ron said that was a "potentially confusing array of various assessments over quite a short period of time" and the board wanted clarity as to Watson's risk of reoffending.
He asked the psychologists who authored the reports to come before the board to answer questions, so the various views on risk could be reconciled.
The board also sought a report on the work Watson had done in prison with a psychologist. The hearing is expected to be held in September, while Watson's case will be heard in the Court of Appeal next month.
Smart and Hope’s bodies have never been found. They had been at a New Year’s Eve party at Furneaux Lodge in the Marlborough Sounds.
They were last seen about 4am on January 1, when the pair were dropped off with a mystery man to a yacht by water-taxi driver Guy Wallace, who was a bartender at the lodge.
Wallace did not initially identify Watson as the mystery man, but later said when shown other photos he believed the man resembled Watson. He later recanted that saying he believed Watson had been wrongly convicted.
Wallace committed suicide in Greymouth in 2021.
Friday's hearing comes at the same time as an exhibition of Watson’s art at the Rei Gallery in Lyttelton.
Two artists who exhibit at the gallery through the Rei Collective don’t want their names associated with the group while Watson’s exhibition is there.
Owner Damian Mackie would not say who the artists were as they had requested temporary anonymity.
“If they’re not comfortable with having their identity as part of, or connected to this exhibition, that’s fine.”
“They’re from people who really wouldn’t put any contribution into the community at all, keyboard warriors.”
Mackie said the exhibition had been well-attended since it opened.
“People want to discover the creative practice and mahi of someone who has been incarcerated.”
The gallery is hosting a range of Watson’s artwork, including paintings and carvings.
Watson and Mackie first met during a prison visit in 2017 after years of the gallery owner following the case.
“I reached out to him, because I knew at the time we were supporting some carvers in prison, and Scott wanted to learn to carve and develop the skillset.”
As lead carver of the Whakaraupō Carving Centre Trust, Mackie has organised a carving education programme for prisoners in Christchurch Men’s Prison.
Mackie would not comment on whether he believes Watson was wrongly convicted, but said it is important to help rehabilitate prisoners regardless of crime or sentence length.
Watson’s art is not for sale. The exhibition is free to visit and runs until June 20.
