New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Sio MULIIPU

Hearing: 10 December 2018

at Rimutaka Prison

Members of the Board:

• Ms T Williams Blyth – Panel Convenor
• Mr G Crowley
• Mr C King

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Sio Muliipu (30) appears for consideration of parole.  He is serving a 13-year sentence for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault with intent to injure, assaulting a person with an instrument, kidnapping and injuring with intent to injure.
2. Mr Muliipu has an extensive history of offending dating back to 2004.  His criminal history includes 18 convictions for violence, driving and traffic offences, non-compliance, dishonesty, use of weapons and burglary.  A psychologist noted that 11 of the 18 violence convictions involved intimate partner violence and that the violence appears to have escalated in severity over time.
3. In the prison setting Mr Muliipu has a RoC*RoI of .83508, a prison security classification of low and a statutory release date of 7 December 2024.   There is approximately six years left on his sentence.
4. The Board does not have a copy of the Judge’s sentencing notes, but we do have the caption summary. The summary indicates that on one occasion Mr Muliipu assaulted his partner with a vacuum cleaner after she had become upset about being unable to see their children.  The victim entered a [withheld].  The subsequent offences involved Mr Muliipu forcibly taking the victim from the [withheld] and engaging in a prolonged violent attack against his partner in a locked bedroom.  The victim required medical attention for her injuries including the loss of an eye.
5. Mr Muliipu’s time in prison has been difficult.  Since being sentenced he has incurred 24 incidents, which has resulted in 11 misconducts.  Three misconducts in 2014, two in 2015, three in 2017 and three in 2018.  The last misconduct was in April 2018.
6. The sentence plan was for Mr Muliipu to complete the Special Treatment Unit Rehabilitation Programme (STURP).  He completed that programme in April 2018.  Previously, he has completed the brief and intermediate Alcohol and Other Drug programmes.  At the time that the report was written, he was engaged in maintenance and has remained in Te Whare Manaaki (TWM).
7. For today's hearing the Board had the benefit of a psychological report dated 5 November 2018.  Mr Muliipu has been assessed as being at very high risk of general reoffending and at high risk for violent reoffending.  The psychologist recommends that Mr Muliipu continue to reside in TWM, attend the maintenance group for graduates of STURP and engage in a stepped reintegration plan.  If he was to be released then Mr Muliipu should be referred to a departmental psychologist which would run alongside the [withheld] programme.
8. Mr Muliipu presented well today.  Until he completed STURP and was residing in TWM, he says he did not know how to deal with his problems.  He knows now that when he gets angry he can talk about the situation and walk away.  In the prison environment he has had lots of opportunities to practice his new skills.  He acknowledged that it has been hard.
9. Going forward, Mr Muliipu has just been re-classed to low.   The next classification review is in May 2019.  He is working in the print shop and building new relationships with people that he had not considered working with before.  In time he is hoping to have his security class reduced to minimum and then engage in reintegration activities including working outside the wire, self-care, release to work and guided releases.
10. The Principal Corrections Officer (PCO) confirmed that Mr Muliipu has worked really hard.  That work has included being a mentor and managing conflict in the unit.  The PCO confirmed that Mr Muliipu has been working hard to get his security classification reduced to minimum.
11. At the end of the hearing Mr Muliipu raised the possibility of going to [withheld].  He also asked if he could read submissions that he had written for the hearing.  Included in his submissions are comments that he is a much more positive person and that he has been making a tremendous effort to change.  Mr Muliipu also advised that he has reconciled with his victim and is very sorry for what he has done.  He asked the Board for directions to continue with the necessary help that he needs.  Included in the request was for the Board to consider release to [withheld].
12. Mr Muliipu has a long history of offending with a number of convictions for violence and his recent offending is extremely serious.  The Board commends him for the work that he has completed to date, but we are not satisfied that his risk has reduced sufficient for him to be released on parole.
13. For today his risk remains undue and parole is declined.  Mr Muliipu will be seen for the further consideration of parole in June 2020 and no later than 30 June 2020.
14. In the meantime the Board strongly supports Mr Muliipu remaining in TWM until he is eligible to enter self-care, following which a period of reintegration activities including work outside the wire, release to work and guided releases are supported.
15. Prior to the next hearing the Board requests that a reintegration/whānau hui take place.  That hui is to include the whānau and professionals who will be supporting him, particularly if that release plan is to go to [withheld].