New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Peter James LINTON

Hearing: 8 December 2021

at Rolleston Prison via MS Teams

Members of the Board: Ms K Snook – Panel Convenor

Dr G Coyle

Mr C King

Counsel:                                            Ms A Williams

In Attendance:                                  [withheld] - Case Manager

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Peter James Linton, 76, appeared for the further consideration of parole on a sentence of eight years, three months’ imprisonment for serious sexual offending.  The most recent offending occurred in 2007.
2. Mr Linton is on a minimum prison security classification and has a statutory release date of 16 June 2022.
3. Mr Linton saw the Board last on 12 August 2021.  He had begun one to one work with a psychologist.  The Board wanted that work to continue and for a strong release proposal to be developed with external controls for Mr Linton. The Board also asked for an addendum psychological risk assessment.
4. Since that hearing, Mr Linton has been participating in one to one treatment with a psychologist.  COVID-19 has had an impact on the number of those sessions.  Mr Linton said that he is meeting with a psychologist once a week for two-hour sessions and that he is learning a lot.
5. The psychological report that we have dated 10 November 2021 assesses Mr Linton as continuing to pose a high risk of re-offending but does note Mr Linton’s poor health, particularly [withheld].  Deterioration since the assessment earlier in the year is noted by the psychologist.  What the psychologist concludes is the following:

“Overall, the combination of his increasing age, poor health and related mobility difficulties, good engagement with his treating psychologist and other professionals would suggest that his assessed High risk is manageable on release into a community context where he is reliant on professional support, as is the case with the current reintegration proposals.”

6. Mr Williams appeared today for Mr Linton.  He essentially said that Mr Linton is ready for parole but queried the release proposal currently on the table.  At the moment Mr Linton has been accepted into [withheld] supported accommodation.  We understand there is a bed available for him on 2 February 2022.  However, Mr Williams queried whether in fact Mr Linton is now capable of residing in such accommodation.
7. We agree with that view.  It was a view shared by the PCO as well.  The PCO said that if Mr Linton was in prison for a longer sentence, he would be recommending that he be transferred to the high-dependency unit at Rimutaka.
8. Mr Linton’s case manager said that she spoke to the prison health team today.  At the moment the release proposal remains that he should be released to the [withheld] supported accommodation.  It is only if there are issues for him on such a release that the plan will be re-visited.
9. We understand that there was an older person’s health assessment completed in August 2021.  Some other form of assessment appears to have been completed since then, but we are not clear what that was.  Mr Linton said that he spoke with a nurse a week or so ago who completed some form of assessment.  He understood that her recommendation was that he was now suitable for [withheld].  Mr Linton himself now accepts that [withheld] is the most appropriate place for him.
10. As we said during the hearing, if Mr Linton is to be released into a [withheld] he would need a NASC assessment to ensure that he receives the relevant subsidy.
11. For today risk remains undue and parole is declined.  We will schedule Mr Linton to be seen again by a Board in February 2022 and no later than the end of that month.
12. Before that next hearing we ask that there be a further multidisciplinary team meeting.  It seems to us that a great deal more work needs to be undertaken to ensure that the best plan is developed for Mr Linton given his clearly deteriorating health.  We see that as most likely to involve [withheld].
13. An appropriate NASC assessment needs to be completed if that has not been completed previously.  That will ensure that all relevant documentation is available for Mr Linton to facilitate a release to [withheld] when he returns to the Board again in February 2022.  We support him continuing to work with the psychologist in the meantime.  We ask for an update for the next Board about that work with the psychologist.
14. To ensure that the Board is provided with the most up to date information about Mr Linton we ask that the prison health care team manager attend the hearing as well.
15. We also note that Mr Linton has difficulty with his hearing.  We ask that if at all possible, the next hearing be a face to face hearing with the Board.