Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Lewis Jarred ROBERTSON

Hearing:                                            9 July 2020

at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison via AVL from New Zealand Parole Board, Wellington

Members of the Board:                  

Mr N Trendle – Panel Convenor

Dr S Davis

Mr A Spierling

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Lewis Jarred Robertson is serving a sentence of two years three months’ imprisonment for burglary, breach of community work, unlawful possession of a firearm and using a document with intent to defraud. He has nine months remaining on that sentence with a statutory release date of 15 April 2021.
2. Mr Robertson completed the Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme in February of this year. That was followed by the maintenance sessions which he completed in April. After completing rehabilitation activities, he moved to the self-care units. Progress was stalled with the lockdown during the Covid-19 restrictions but he is back in self-care 2 at the moment and working in the forestry. He told us he is gaining NCEA credits while he is working.
3. Upon release, Mr Robertson has secured the support of [withheld]. He has been accepted by the service, but no address is currently available. Mr Robertson told us that he is proposing to maintain his reintegration pathway and participate in release to work. After his last release from prison he had been going well when he and [withheld] were involved in court proceedings contesting a decision [withheld]. He said [withheld] and he subsequently returned to crime.
4. Mr Robertson has a RoC*RoI .53867. This is his third term of imprisonment. He has

   satisfactorily completed the programmes on his sentence plan and the Board acknowledges he is on a reintegration pathway.

5. In the absence of a release proposal the Board is unable to consider him for release on parole today. It is declined. He will be scheduled to return to the Board in six months, by 31 January 2021. The Board supports Mr Robertson's progression in reintegration activities and in particular to release to work. That will assist in providing a solid foundation for his return to the community in due course.