Samuel ANDERSON 14/6/2022

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Samuel ANDERSON

Hearing: 14 June 2022

at Otago Corrections Facility via MS Teams

Members of the Board:

Judge D Mather - Panel Convenor

Ms T Sharkey

Ms M Dodd

In Attendance: [withheld] - Case Manager

DECISION OF THE BOARD

  1. Mr Anderson is serving a sentence of four years five months for domestic violence offending against [withheld], as well as drug and other offending. His sentence expiry date is in August 2023.
  2. He has held minimum security since December 2020. His RoC*Rol is in the medium range at 0.41198.
  3. Mr Anderson has made good progress on the sentence. He completed the DTP in 2020 and stayed on as a mentor. We have a report from the DTP which records his progress.
  4. He has also been having [withheld] which he says has been of significant benefit for him.
  5. At this stage he still has to address his violence. He has been identified as suitable for the Short Violence Prevention Programme and will be formally assessed for that in August this year. The case manager told us that the next available programme will start in either December or January next year. The programme runs for a little over two months.
  6. Mr Anderson is keen to be released but accepts that the Board may require him to do that programme. Given his history of serious domestic violence which led to the sentence, as well as a previous sentence for similar offending, we have a clear view that he must successfully complete the SVPP before risk issues will have been adequately addressed.
  7. He spoke well at this hearing and told us of the change of attitude he has developed since starting this sentence. That was confirmed by the acting PCO.
  8. In our view Mr Anderson needs to complete the SVPP before he will be ready for release. He has approved accommodation in [withheld] with [withheld] and [withheld].
  9. On that basis we decline parole and schedule his next appearance before the Board in March 2023, no later than 31 March.
  10. Mr Anderson should provide a safety plan prior to the next Board hearing.

Judge D Mather

Panel Convenor