'Beast' ready to prey again, board decides

The 'Beast of Blenheim' Stewart Murray Wilson. File photo / NZ Herald

A psychologist says a prolific sex offender dubbed the "Beast of Blenheim" has psychopathic traits and is likely to reoffend over the next 10 years if released from prison.

And she said Stewart Murray Wilson was "evasive, litigious, solicitous, ingratiating, threatening and intimidating" during a prison interview.

Wilson, 64, was sentenced to 21 years in jail in 1996 for offences against women and children spanning 25 years, including rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, stupefying, and wilful ill-treatment of a child, and bestiality.

He became eligible for parole in December 2008, but the Parole Board made an order that he remain in prison indefinitely, saying he was likely to reoffend if released.

The order is reviewed six-monthly, and at a hearing on April 29 the board said Wilson's risk of reoffending was still "real and well beyond the ordinary statistical risk".

The psychologist's report was presented to the board at the hearing. In it she said Wilson was considered highly likely to offend again.

She said that within the last six months Wilson had made threats during interviews with her and "demonstrated evidence of sexual behaviour", which she deemed "inappropriate and possibly intentionally abusive".

The psychologist also noted the presence of psychopathic traits and evidence of sexual deviance.

"He continues to deny his offending and refuses to engage in offence-related treatment," she said.

A parole assessment report said Wilson saw himself as "somehow special" and expected his needs in prison to be dealt with immediately.

It said an incident involving Wilson as he was being checked by a female Corrections officer on night watch was "a matter of concern".

The details were not revealed to protect the woman's privacy.

Wilson addressed the board at the hearing, speaking of his misconduct-free record in prison.

A supporter also attended, saying the time had come for Wilson to be released into a controlled parole environment in the community.

Parole Board convener Alan Ritchie said a number of factors had to be considered, including the extent and nature of Wilson's offending, the absence of any treatment or release proposal, the high risk of "serious recidivism", and the behaviour outlined in the reports.

Mr Ritchie referred to a summary of Wilson's offending used when the order was made in 2008.

The summary said: "Mr Wilson took women and girls, often their daughters, into his home on the pretext of friendship.

"The victims - and there were many of them - were often vulnerable. Once a relationship was established, they were subject to assaults, indecencies and often rape.

"Mr Wilson then took control of their lives to an extraordinary degree with compliance being obtained by force or threats of force."

Wilson has appeared before the Parole Board 15 times since he became eligible for release.