New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole hearing

Under section 21(1) of the Parole Act 2002

Cory Raymond TATTON

Hearing: 18 March 2016 at [Withheld] by AVL from NZPB Office

Members of the Board:

• Judge M Crosbie – Panel Convenor
• Ms L Nathan
• Mr G Crowley

Support Persons:

• [Withheld]
• [Withheld]
• [Withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Cory Raymond Tatton appeared before the Board today.  He is serving a sentence for multiple charges of indecent assault on females.  His sentence commenced on 17 June 2015 and his parole eligibility date is 28 March 2016.  His statutory release date is 16 October 2017.

2.  [Withheld] attended the hearing which was held via AVL.  The Board has had regard to a good deal of information before it.  [Withheld]  The view of [Withheld]  is that Mr Tatton should spend all of his sentence in prison.

3. The role of the Board is essentially to make an assessment of risk.  The Board ought not to release any inmate unless it is satisfied that the inmate does not pose an undue risk to the safety of the community.  The word undue is important.  That is because, invariably, there is always some risk. However, the Board must be satisfied that the risk is to that standard.

4. Mr Tatton has successfully completed the Drug Treatment Unit.  He has stayed on in the unit as a mentor.  His Principal Corrections Officer spoke positively about him.  Mr Tatton is regarded as an exemplary inmate.

5. The Board queried Mr Tatton about his offending.  He completely accepts that he committed all the offences and that his offending has had a significant effect on his victims. He appeared to be both remorseful and shameful.  Victims can often be cynical about such expressions of contrition. However, in the Board’s view, Mr Tatton appropriately acknowledged both the extent and effect of his offending.

6. Mr Tatton was not expecting release today.  He was looking for some guidance from the Board as to other courses and progress.  There is a psychological assessment before the Board.  That report rates Mr Tatton’s risk as moderate to high in terms of future sexual offending.  His Roc*RoI rating, however, is 0.18.

7. The Board would like to see some individual psychological counselling take place. Given the Roc*RoI rating, and the fact that Mr Tatton has completed the DTU, it is unlikely that any other form of rehabilitation would be available to him within the prison environment.

8. Until such time as some counselling takes place the Board cannot be satisfied that Mr Tatton does not pose as an undue risk to the safety of the community and declines his release on parole.  It will not see Mr Tatton in the next six months but will see him no later than 30 September 2016.

9. The Board would like to see individual counselling take place between now and then with, if possible, a brief updated psychological report.  The Board will also request a Residential Restrictions Report.  That is not an indication that Mr Tatton will be released on parole, rather it will enable the Board that Mr Tatton is appearing before to have all options available to it.

Judge M Crosbie
Panel Convenor