Blessie's killer 'high risk' offender

The Parole Board, prison service and a judge kept murderer and rapist Tony Robertson away from society for as long as the law allowed, inquiries have found.

Robertson was freed from prison for five months before he raped and killed Blessie Gotingco. The attack happened three months after a prison psychologist assessed the convicted child kidnapper and abuser as "high risk" and likely to abduct and rape someone.

Tony Robertson. Photo/NZME.

A review of Robertson's history with the justice system found no apparent gaps that allowed his release.

Instead, the authorities did all they could to protect the public under the powers available at the time. A new law gives greater powers to segregate from the community the most dangerous of those released from prison.

Robertson was convicted last month of the May, 2014, attack on Mrs Gotingco. He ran her down as she walked home from a North Shore bus stop in the dark and rain after a Saturday shift at Tower Insurance.

The jury accepted the Crown case that Robertson's abduction of Mrs Gotingco ended in rape and a fatal, frenzied knife attack at his Birkdale home. Her body was found dumped in a cemetery in Birkenhead.

The verdict was watched by Mrs Gotingco's grieving husband Antonio and their three children.

Rethinking Crime and Punishment executive director Ced Simpson said the justice system meant almost everyone jailed would be released eventually and former inmates needed strong support networks.

"It's in everyone's interests to put appropriate resources into information centres and community rehabilitation. Unless we execute all criminals or throw them in jail for life, then prisoners will get released."

Mr Simpson's comments were supported by clinical psychologists who said released prisoners needed support because isolation from the community could increase chances of re-offending.

Robertson was flagged as a danger from the moment he was sentenced aged 19 in 2006 for the abduction and indecent assault of a 5-year-old girl.

Parole Board documents show Robertson was kept in prison for the duration of the 8-year sentence, marking his time with aggression and violence towards guards and a denial of having committed the crimes he was locked up for.

A 2010 report from the board said Robertson was showing "bad behaviour and non-compliant attitudes and was a clear major risk to the safety of the community".

A 2013 report, just before his release hearing, stated he had undertaken no programmes in prison to assist rehabilitation other than seven one-to-one counselling sessions the year before.