Robert Shane MARU - 23/10/18

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Robert Shane MARU

Hearing: 23 October 2018

at Whanganui Prison

via AVL from New Zealand Parole Board, Wellington

Members of the Board:

  • Mr N Trendle – Panel Convenor
  • Sir Ron Young – Chairperson
  • Ms S Pakura
  • Mr R Gray

Support Person:

  • [withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

  1. Robert Shane Maru is serving life imprisonment for the murder of Mr Christopher Crean imposed in the New Plymouth High Court on 21 August 1997.
  2. Mr Maru completed the Special Treatment Unit Rehabilitation Programme in 2016 and engaged with the psychologist for individual treatment for about 12 months.  He has completed the programmes on his sentence plan.
  3. The parole assessment report refers to Mr Maru’s participation in a reintegration meeting earlier in the year.  When he leaves prison he was proposing to live with [withheld]. The information relating to his release plan is somewhat sparse. The reintegration meeting itself was confined to Mr Maru, his case manager and his probation officer. [withheld] was unable to attend. He has limited other pro-social support.  Mr Maru has no significant relationship or contact with most other members of his extended whānau.  He is hoping to develop that relationship however.
  4. At present Mr Maru remains working in the block plant. An application to the advisory panel to extend his reintegration activities was deferred until after today’s parole hearing.
  5. The hearing was attended by Mr Maru’s case manager who confirmed the view that Mr Maru should be supported in reintegration activities. In the Board’s view, progress along that pathway is essential. Although Mr Maru referred to his anxiety about release and the changes he will face and his difficulty in dealing with change he spoke to us particularly well.  In the Board’s view he needs to be exposed to a regulated process of change through reintegration activities. Accordingly, we support his progression through the self‑care units, other reintegration activities and on to release to work.
  6. To date, the steps relating to developing Mr Maru’s release proposal seem somewhat tentative. It is apparent that considerable work will be needed to assist him to enlarge his support base for when he leaves prison. We invite his case manager and probation officer to help him to develop his release plan and for further reintegration meetings to occur.
  7. Parole today is declined.  Mr Maru will be scheduled to return to the Board in just over 12 months, by 30 November 2019. For that hearing the Board requests an updating psychological assessment, including an assessment of his release proposal.

Mr N Trendle
Panel Convenor