December 15, 2008

'Beast' apologises during bid for release

By David Clarkson

Stewart Murray Wilson, the convicted sex offender who became known as The Beast of Blenheim, has apologised to his victims ? sort of.

He appeared to choose his words carefully when he voiced his apology as part of legal action he took to get released from Rolleston Prison 14 years after his sentence began.

He told Justice Lester Chisholm: ?I have learnt a lot of things in the last 14 and a bit years. I?m not a risk of reoffending.

?If you will permit, I would like to say that I apologise to any person who thinks or says I have harmed them.?

His apology came during his bid for a Writ of Habeas Corpus against the chief executive of the Department of Corrections, to force the department to release him.

He says he has served his time and the department cannot hold him any longer.

But the department says it has done its sums correctly and it has made its application for a section 107 order in time.

If the order is granted, it would mean that Wilson could be kept in prison beyond his final release date, which appears to be December 2, 2008.

The department wants to keep him behind bars for almost another four years.

He was convicted in 1996 for sex offending involving female victims over 23 years. The charges included rape, bestiality, stupefying, ill-treatment of children and indecent assault. He was sentenced to 21 years? jail.

In September the Parole Board turned down his bid for parole, and said he had been assessed as a high or very high risk of serious or violent recidivism.

The application for the section 107 order to keep him in prison is being heard by the Parole Board at the prison tomorrow.

Justice Chisholm has reserved his decision on the Habeas Corpus writ application until 10.30am on Wednesday and the Parole Board hearing will delay its start until it is given.

He told Wilson today that if he was right, the board would have no right to hear the application and he would be released. If he was wrong, the board hearing would go ahead.

?I am at my wit?s end,? Wilson told the judge. ?I?m fighting for my life, literally.?

He said he had been unfairly treated by the department and board changing his release date four times.

But crown prosecutor Kathryn Dalziel explained why there had been some confusion, and said a Court of Appeal decision had now made the position clear about release dates. She said the court was bound by that decision.

She pointed out that one date referred to be Wilson was his parole eligibility date rather than a final release date.

She said once the 107 application was made, the legisation said the person would stay in prison until it was heard.

Wilson told the court he had served more time than those convicted of murder, and asked, ?When is enough time served enough??

He also quoted from a Department of Corrections parole assessment of him in the Totara Unit at Rolleston Prison. It stated that he was ?a quiet and compliant prisoner who poses no concerns or risk to other prisoners, wing routines, unit staff or the security of the unit?.