Dean NATHAN - 20/08/2019

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(1) of the Parole Act 2002

Dean Waka NATHAN

Hearing: 20 August 2019

at Otago Corrections Facility via AVL from New Zealand Parole Board, Wellington

Members of the Board:

  • Sir Ron Young – Chairperson
  • Ms P Rose
  • Dr J Skipworth

Support Person:                              

  • [withheld]
  • [withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

  1. Mr Nathan was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 2001.  Prior to that he had a long history of criminal offending. In 2011 from prison he began conspiring and dealing in methamphetamine. He was ultimately arrested and tried and received a 17 year prison sentence. This is his first appearance before the Board with respect to these charges.
  2. As far as the facts of the murder are concerned the victim was shot in his car after league training. The victim was a member of the Black Power Gang, Mr Nathan a member of the Highway 61 gang. That gang had been involved in planning and carrying out the murder. Mr Nathan was a senior member of that gang. The killing was carefully planned and executed.
  3. As far as the methamphetamine dealing was concerned, Mr Nathan set up a methamphetamine dealing operation while in prison. He organised large purchases of the drug in Auckland and arranged for their transportation to Christchurch and their distribution there. Up to two kilograms of the drug was supplied.
  4. As far as the current position is concerned, Mr Nathan completed the Special Treatment Unit Rehabilitation Programme (STURP) on August 2018 and then the nine months maintenance. We note that the report from the programme could not be described as glowing. There was some concern expressed in the feedback from the STURP about whether or not he had a true appreciation of his offending and the effects of his offending on others.  The psychological report assessed him as still being at high risk of re‑offending both in general re-offending and violence.
  5. Mr Nathan today wanted to be released to [withheld]. He had support from [withheld] to do so. He had completed a whānau hui and had some support in the area. He has had guided releases to [withheld].
  6. We have decided given Mr Nathan’s long history of criminal offending, given the fact that he offended very seriously while in prison, that he needs further reintegration before he could be safely released.
  7. We also express our concern that apparently no follow-up or consideration of the need for a Drug Treatment Programme appears to be undertaken. While a short portion of the STURP relates to drug and alcohol consumption we note that Mr Nathan has a significant history of involvement in drugs and alcohol. Indeed, Mr Nathan himself identified that is part of the reason why he was going to [withheld].
  8. We, therefore, invite Corrections to reconsider his suitability for a Drug Treatment Programme. Further, in the meantime we hope that Mr Nathan can continue on the reintegration pathway. If the prison he is currently in does not provide suitable opportunities for external self-care, further work outside the wire and release to work, then a transfer of prisons may be the best way forward for Mr Nathan.
  9. He remains in our view, therefore, an undue risk for the reasons given. We will see him again by May 2020.

Sir Ron Young
Chairperson