'Beast Of Blenheim' denied parole again

Another release bid by Stuart Murray Wilson - the sex offender who became known as the Beast of Blenheim - has been dismissed in the High Court at Christchurch.

Wilson, now aged 63, has spent 15 years in prison and his next Parole Board hearing is set for next week.

He was refused parole in December last year, and again in June. He took a case to the High Court a year ago when the board was seeking an order to keep him in jail for almost another four years.

He was back in the High Court before Justice John Fogarty today seeking a writ of Habeas Corpus. Wilson's counsel Andrew McKenzie argued that six-monthly reviews were required after an order had been made to keep Wilson confined.

He said the reviews provided a safeguard of "regular reappraisal".

Mr McKenzie said if Wilson was released he would still be subject to standard release conditions and the Parole Board would keep an eye on him because of his offending and notoriety.

For the crown, Tim Mackenzie said Wilson had misconstrued the section in the Act regarding the setting of dates.

Justice Fogarty agreed saying that the existing order had been made on December 16, 2008, and the latest review date would be next week. It is set for December 15.

Wilson was convicted in 1996 for sex offending involving women and girls 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 last year, 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 chief executive then made the application to hold him for a further three years nine months.

- NZPA