New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

and

Hearing for Postponement Order

27(4)(b) of the Parole Act 2002

Peter Douglas CARRINGTON

Hearing: 3 September 2019

at Christchurch Men’s Prison

Members of the Board:

• Sir Ron Young – Chairperson
• Assoc Prof. P Brinded
• Mr P Elenio

Observer:

• Mr L Pullan – Principal Psychologist

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Mr Carrington was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 2002. In 1988 shortly before the offending for which he received a life sentence, he was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawful sexual connection. Both the offending involved very violent attacks on elderly women.
2. When we saw him in September 2017, the Board noted he was doing one-on-one psychological work, he had work outside the wire, he was in self-care, but had no real release plan. They were concerned about his future risk.
3. Today an application for postponement was made. We have decided for the reasons that follow that we will not make an order for postponement, that it is not necessary in the circumstances.
4. We have a psychological report which notes that drugs and alcohol were factors in both his offending. Indeed that was confirmed today in our questioning of Mr Carrington. He has had generally reasonable conduct in prison. There was some confusion about the circumstances under which he may have been offered or asked to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment. The request seems to have been for the Navigate programme. It was an assessment as to whether or not alcohol and drug treatment was required in the community.
5. In addition there seems to have been a request within Corrections for an alcohol and drug assessment which Mr Carrington at the time seemed reluctant to undertake.  Currently he has not had any alcohol and drug treatment, other than that treatment which would have been part of the Adult Sex Offender Treatment Programme which he completed in 2014.
6. We think given that alcohol and drugs played a part in both sets of offending, that Mr Carrington should attend an appropriate alcohol and drug treatment programme within prison. We will mention that further at the end of this decision.
7. As to other matters, Mr Carrington remains medium/high risk of sexual re-offending.  He has completed his safety plan, completed with the help of a psychologist. As to the future, he needs further prison reintegration work, he needs further one-on-one counselling to provide increasing insight into the reasons behind his offending and he needs to develop his community support.
8. Mr Carrington’s focus is on an ultimate release to the [withheld] through the Navigate programme. We think in the longer term that would be an appropriate way forward.
9. As to alcohol and drug treatment programme we specify that activity under section 21A. We will see him again in the first week of March 2021.  In the meantime for the reasons given, he remains an undue risk.
10. Finally, it may well be that Mr Carrington does suffer from PTSD arising from the horrendous circumstances of his offending. We invite his psychologist and Corrections generally to keep that fact in mind when assessing his progress in any further treatment that he may need.