New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(1) of the Parole Act 2002

Keith Anthony MCEWEN

Hearing: 31 August 2017

At (withheld) via AVL from New Zealand Parole Board, Head Office, Wellington

Members of the Board:

• Alan Ritchie (Panel Convenor)
• Assoc. Prof. P Brinded
• Mr B McMurray
• Mr L Tawera

In attendance: (withheld) – Corrections Psychologist

Support Persons:
(withheld)
(withheld)

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Keith Anthony McEwen, 40, appeared for the first consideration of parole on a sentence of preventive detention for rape, unlawful sexual connection, kidnapping, attempted stupefaction, aggravated robbery and using a document, all committed against two tourists in a campervan.
2. There were further sentences on summary charges of unrelated offending of burglary, theft, receiving and breach of parole conditions.
3. The prison security classification is minimum and the RoC*RoI 0.71192.
4. The offending against the tourists was an atrocity, described variously by the Sentencing Judge as violent and inhumane with a devastating impact and consequence for both victims.
5. The sexual offending against the female victim was described as cruel and sadistic.
6. The Sentencing Judge referred to a methamphetamine addiction as a major offending factor.
7. Mr McEwen completed the Adult Sex Offender Treatment Programme in December 2015 and the Dependency Treatment Programme in July 2016.
8. There is a psychological assessment report dated 3 July 2017.  Risk of general and violent re-offending is assessed as high and risk for sexual re-offending is assessed as moderate/high.
9. The psychologist recommended that before release or soon after release, Mr McEwen should work closely with a departmental psychologist to update his safety plan as well as consolidating the treatment gains he has made.
10. In relation to the safety plan, Mr McEwen says he has a comprehensive plan which he thought had been attached to documents for us.  We have not received that plan and that needs to be checked out.
11. The psychologist also recommended that Mr McEwen should participate in a gradual reintegration process with release to work, self-care and day paroles which would allow a demonstration of treatment gains within a less structured environment.  It is also recommended that the reintegration process be supported by regular case management meetings to enable a multidisciplinary approach to assisting Mr McEwen in the management of risk.
12. We have noted the report from the prison officer about Mr McEwen’s compliant behaviour.  We have also heard thoughtful support expressed for him by (withheld) who attended this hearing with his (withheld).
13. In our view, however, there is significant work to be done before the Board could be persuaded that risk is other than undue.  That would particularly require a compelling demonstration by Mr McEwen of the capacity to apply lessons learned from his rehabilitative programmes and we are supportive of Mr McEwen engaging in such reintegrative activity as can be made available to him in accordance with the recommendations of the psychologist.  We believe matters need to be taken gradually over a period of time.  For that reason, we will be scheduling Mr McEwen to be seen within a two year period.  He will be scheduled for August 2019 and by 30 August 2019 at the latest.
14. Parole is declined.