New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Clinton Michael DEARMAN

Hearing: 15 August 2018

at Christchurch Prison

Members of the Board:

• Mr J Thomson (Panel Convenor)
• Ms P Rose
• Mr L Tawera

Support Persons:

• [withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Clinton Michael Dearman, 51, has made another appearance before the Board for the consideration of release on parole.  He is serving a sentence of seven years six months’ imprisonment imposed on 2 October 2013.  He became eligible for parole on 30 August 2016 and his sentence ends on 30 May 2020.
2. The sentence was imposed for two counts of aggravated robbery, both committed against the same pharmacy.  Mr Dearman has a static risk score of 0.312.  The list of previous convictions is five pages long and Mr Dearman has incurred sentences of imprisonment since 1987.  There are four previous convictions for violent offences.  There has been a lessening in the frequency of Mr Dearman’s offending over the last decade or so.  However, the two aggravated robberies for which he is serving the current sentence are particularly serious.
3. The last appearance before the Board for Mr Dearman was on 11 August 2017.  The Board noted that Mr Dearman had successfully completed the Drug Treatment Programme (DTP) and had spent about six months at the construction yard at Rolleston Prison.  He had recently begun the Special Treatment Unit Rehabilitation Programme (STURP).  The Board saw it as very important that he continue with that.
4. The Board has a psychologist’s report dated 14 July 2018.  The report notes that Mr Dearman completed the core treatment programme at the STURP earlier this year.  He remains at the unit.  Initially during the programme, Mr Dearman was somewhat guarded, defensive and collusive with the anti-social attitudes of others.  Over time this behaviour decreased.
5. The psychologist also notes that Mr Dearman tended to have difficulty in receiving feedback from others and at times gave aggressive responses leading to him leaving the group and being verbally abusive to others.
6. The feedback from staff indicates that Mr Dearman moved between providing a mature attitude of change within the community, and at other times reverting to an oppositional and manipulative position.  However, it is noted that he did not receive any misconducts during the programme.
7. Mr Dearman was considered to have made sufficient and satisfactory progress to graduate from the STURP.
8. The psychologist concludes the report by making recommendations.  One of them is that Mr Dearman should continue to demonstrate progress in newly learned pro-social skills.  He should continue to work with staff from the STURP towards the planning of his reintegration.  This should include, when he is assessed as suitable, placement at a unit where he is able to access employment.
9. Mr Dearman has provided the Board with written submissions.  He clearly wishes to be released.  He has also provided the Board with a number of letters of support from others.
10. In assessing whether or not a prisoner would pose an undue risk to the safety of the community, the Board must look at both the likelihood of further offending and the nature and seriousness of any likely subsequent offending.  Mr Dearman is serving a current sentence for particularly serious offences which included the use of weapons.  The Board is therefore concerned about the nature and seriousness of any likely subsequent offending.
11. At present the Board is not satisfied that Mr Dearman would no longer pose an undue risk to the safety of the community.  It supports the recommendations of the psychologist that Mr Dearman should be given the opportunity to show evidence of sustained positive change.  The performance at the STURP was not without its difficulties.  The Board supports the proposal that Mr Dearman be allowed to use the skills learned on the programme in a less restrictive environment such as the employment yard at Rolleston Prison or whatever option the prison is able to make available to him.
12. For today parole is declined.  Mr Dearman will be seen again in six months’ time, in February of next year and no later than 28 February 2019.