Edward Albert MCELROY - 10/11/2016

Parole hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Edward Albert MCELROY

Hearing: 10 November 2016 at NZPB Head Office via AVL to [Withheld]

Members of the Board:

  • Judge J P Gittos QSO (Panel Convenor)
  • Mr B McMurray
  • Mr P Elenio
  • Dr J Skipworth

In attendance:

  • [Withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Eddie McElroy is a 42 year old man serving a sentence of life imprisonment imposed upon him for murder, manslaughter and rape.  The index offending occurred when at age 18 years, he raped a woman in her house and then killed her and burnt the house down to avoid detection.  The manslaughter charge relates to the woman’s infant child who died in the fire.  He has no other criminal history.

2. He was last before the Board on 7 December 2015.  At that point he was doing the Adult Sex Offender Programme and working on a Rehabilitative Programme.  He did not seek parole.  Then was evidently making strong treatment gains from the course.

3. As Mr McElroy presents before us today, he has completed the Adult Sex Offender Programme with evidently strong treatment gains.  He spoke with extraordinary enthusiasm about the programme and what it had done for him.  He has a approved release address and support of persons at that address who are strongly pro social.

4. The psychologist’s report indicates that he is still regarded as a medium/high risk for further sex offending and release is not sought.

5. Mr McElroy confirms that he needs to test treatment gains by gradual reintegrative process and appears to show good insight into his reintegrative needs.  Having spent as long as he has in Prison and given the quite dramatic change in attitude which has resulted from his final acceptance of and participation in the Rehabilitation Programme, there is good reason to take a carefully measured approach to reintegration in Mr McElroy’s case.  We understand that he is likely to be approved for Release to Work within a couple of months and to have that opportunity in the coming year.  That will be an ideal basis for him to test his treatment gains and his readjustment to life outside of the Prison, and Mr McElroy is sensitive to the need for this to be a gradual process.

6. We support all such reintegrative opportunities as are able to be made available to Mr McElroy.  We will see him again in 12 months, that is to say in November 2017.

Judge J P Gittos QSO
Panel Convenor