Anthony HIRAWANI - 10/10/2019

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(1) of the Parole Act 2002

Anthony Simon HIRAWANI

Hearing: 10 October 2019

at Waikeria Prison via AVL to New Zealand Parole Board, Wellington

Members of the Board:

  • Judge J P Gittos – Panel Convenor
  • Ms W Taumaunu
  • Ms P Rose

DECISION OF THE BOARD

  1. Anthony Simon Hirawani is a 27 year old man serving a sentence of seven years and two months for offences of rape on a female aged 12 to 16, and unlawful sexual connection with the same victim.
  2. The index offending involved his participation in a gang rape by four young offenders of a 16 year old girl.  All of the offenders were affected by alcohol and Mr Hirawani acknowledges he was substantially intoxicated and affected by cannabis.  The victim was subjected to a concerted sexual attack over a two hour period which included having to suffer penetration by two of her assailants simultaneously.
  3. He has a history of some 20 prior convictions which include multiple burglaries, aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery, dishonesty and breach offending.  At the time of the index offending he was subject to an electronically monitored community-based sentence and was subject to a condition not to consume alcohol and illicit drugs.
  4. He was on remand for 151 days.  He is commented on as being well behaved, compliant and quiet in the prison setting.  He is currently engaged with the six month Drug Treatment Programme, which he says has opened his eyes to certain matters.
  5. He has seen the psychologist for assessment and the psychologist notes in his report that Mr Hirawani is willing to do the Adult Sex Offender Treatment Programme (ASOTP) but has been found to be unsuitable due to his partial denial of offending.  We understand from this that he does not accept that he personally sexually offended against her taking the view that his intercourse with her was consensual but accepts that he was complicit to some degree in the offending of the others.  Denial and minimising are assessed as a problem for him and he is assessed as being at moderate to high risk of re-offending.
  6. He needs treatment either by way of the ASOTP or one-on-one psychological programme.
  7. The Board is of the view that the best pathway for Mr Hirawani is for him to see the psychologist again to sort out his cognitive distortions about the issue of consent so that he can be reclassified as suitable for the ASOTP.
  8. The Board spent some time with Mr Hirawani probing this issue of his cognitive distortions around the issue of consent and his responsibility for his actions, and we consider that it would be worthwhile for him to see the psychologist again for some discussion about these things.
  9. Mr Hirawani plainly has much to do before he could appropriately be considered for parole.  He has presented no release plan or address quite apart from the need for further treatment.
  10. Parole today is declined and he will be seen again in 18 months’ time, before the end of March 2021.

Judge J P Gittos
Panel Convenor