Fergus John GLEN - 20/11/2018

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Fergus John GLEN

Hearing: 20 November 2018

at Rimutaka Prison

via AVL from Upper Hutt Community Corrections

Members of the Board:

  • Ms K Snook – Panel Convenor
  • Assoc. Prof P Brinded
  • Ms W Taumaunu
  • Mr J Thomson

Counsel:

  • Ms J Fyfe

Support Persons:

  • [withheld]

Observers:

  • Mr T Graham – NZPB Communications Manager
  • Mr M Stewart – Dominion Post

DECISION OF THE BOARD

  1. Fergus John Glen, 52, appeared for the further consideration of parole in relation to a sentence of life imprisonment he is serving for the murder of his brother in 2003. This is his only conviction.
  2. Mr Glen is on a minimum prison security classification and has a RoC*RoI of 0.21487.
  3. Mr Glen saw the Board last on 15 May 2018. That Board noted Mr Glen’s successful progress through reintegration activities. He continues to do well in that sphere. He remains in self-care and continues on release to work at [withheld].
  4. Ms Fyfe appeared today for Mr Glen. She detailed the extensive reintegration work that Mr Glen has completed. He has been working outside the prison wire for seven years and has been residing in self-care for around three years. We understand he has also undertaken around 63 shopping trips and other guided releases. One guided release has been to visit [withheld].
  5. Mr Glen also has the offer of ongoing work at [withheld] on any release.  He told the Board that although the work is a bit mundane he plans on continuing with that work once he is released until he finds something better.
  6. Earlier in his sentence Mr Glen completed the Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme (MIRP). He also had extensive treatment via one-to-one psychological counselling. There have been no concerns in relation to the treatment that Mr Glen has received and no further treatment is recommended at this time.
  7. The latest psychological assessment we have is dated 28 September 2018. Mr Glen is assessed as being at low risk of a violent reoffending but the psychologist notes that, given the index offending, if Mr Glen is ever violent it is likely that the violence will be severe.
  8. Ms Fyfe told the Board that although for the first time Mr Glen would like to seek a release on parole he is not in a position to do so at this time. He has supported accommodation with [withheld] but that is not available until June 2019. Under the Parole Act 2002, a Board cannot direct a release on parole for a date that is later than six months after the date of the hearing. On that basis, Ms Fyfe asked the Board to schedule Mr Glen to be seen again by a Board in May 2019.
  9. [withheld] has begun working with Mr Glen. That support is in its early days and can be further developed in the period between now and May 2019. There is a possibility that [withheld] may be able to organise private rental accommodation for Mr Glen instead of the supported accommodation with [withheld].
  10. Ms Fyfe also asked that before the Board sees Mr Glen again a multi-disciplinary team meeting should be held.  This will ensure that all who will be supporting Mr Glen on his release are aware of their responsibilities and that Mr Glen knows who to contact for support.  We support that.
  11. Mr Glen spoke well to the Board today. He talked about his high-risk situations which include isolating himself, becoming agitated and letting things fester. It is to his credit that he has been able to manage himself in the less restrictive environments of self -care and Release To Work over an extended period of time.
  12. We talked to Mr Glen about his wish to have contact with family members of the victim if that is what some of them want.  It is his understanding that some of those family members may want to know more about the circumstances of the murder and what led to it.  The psychologist notes in her assessment that  Mr Glen is likely to require further support if any contact occurs.  Mr Glen agreed that any contact would need to be facilitated by someone like a psychologist or other professional.
  13. Mr Glen talked about what led to the murder today.  He said he failed to talk to anyone about how he was feeling and let things build up until he was in a “blind rage”.  He knows that alcohol played a role in the offending, and said today that he would be comfortable complying with a special condition on parole that precludes him from possessing or drinking alcohol for life.
  14. Parole is declined.  Risk remains undue at this time in the absence of a release proposal that complies with the legislation, and given the further work that Mr Glen needs to undertake in attending a multi-disciplinary meeting and further developing his support network involving [withheld].
  15. We will schedule Mr Glen to be seen again by a Board in May 2019 and no later than the end of that month.
  16. That next Board will then be in a position to reconsider Mr Glen’s situation, including the sufficiency of his release proposal and support.
  17. We ask for an updated psychological assessment for that next Board.

Ms K Snook
Panel Convenor