Lou Harrison was 15 when he took turns with his mates sexually assaulting a girl at a house in Palmerston North in 2014.
Lou Harrison was 15 when he took turns with his mates sexually assaulting a girl at a house in Palmerston North in 2014.
A rapist who subjected a 16-year-old girl to hours of abuse with three of his friends is about to be released back into the community.
Lou Harrison was just 15 when he and Meha Taylor-Haeata, Anthony Hirawani and Renee Haeata took turns sexually assaulting the girl at a house in Palmerston North in 2014.
At several points during her ordeal the victim attempted to go to the bathroom but was accompanied each time and assaulted on several occasions, once by Harrison.
At one point a knife and a chest of drawers were jammed against the door of the bedroom where the majority of the offending occurred so the assaults could continue uninterrupted.
In his sentencing Judge Lance Rowe said the four treated the victim as less than human and a "sexual plaything for a group of young men who acted together".
He said that determining a lead offender was impossible to single out, but on one level it could be said that Harrison had the most serious role to play.
Harrison received a seven-year sentence for his role in the rape, as did Renee Chaz Haeata.
Anthony Simon Hirawani was given seven years and two months while Meha Hemi Taylor-Haeata was given 11 years due to an aggravated robbery he committed while on bail, as well as another burglary.
Harrison has appeared twice before the Parole Board in the last year after first becoming eligible for parole in December 2019.
The board noted last February that there had been some misconducts during his time in prison but overall his behaviour had been acceptable.
It also noted he had undertaken treatment for drug and alcohol abuse and was hoping to work on the prison farm to help prepare him for work upon his release.
However, the address he would have been released to was deemed inappropriate due to the presence of gang members and children.
Harrison went before the board in November - but his parole was again denied.
The board noted that he had not "foregone his relationship with Black Power" and although many of his family are members of the gang he has not committed to maintaining his distance from Black Power associates.
Lou Harrison was 15 when he took turns with his mates sexually assaulting a girl at a house in Palmerston North in 2014.
There had been one misconduct since his last hearing involving a gang-related picture being found in his cell, but his progress had improved.
"Despite a minor blip recently with the misconduct, Mr Harrison has made good progress in prison," the board said.
Usually inmates must wait at least six months before applying again after an unsuccessful attempt at parole - but this can be shortened if they are nearing the end of their sentence.
In its latest decision released to Open Justice this week the board ruled Harrison will be released from Waikeria Prison on February 28, nearly two years ahead of his original sentence which was due to end in August 2024.
"Mr Harrison was a very young man when he entered the prison system and has certainly grown up. He has lived a life that was entrenched in the Black Power movement and although he remains a member of the Black Power, he intends to socially distance himself and become less active given that he wants to remain law-abiding," the panel said in its decision.
"He has not been eligible for work outside the wire because of Covid. Mr Harrison has learnt about improving his communication skills and mindfulness. That is being aware of what is happening around him. He believes that he can be more assertive in the future.
"He accepts that what he did was atrocious behaviour with his associates, and he regrets his actions. As a young man, he clearly did not have the ability to comprehend the enormity of what was going on.
"He now accepts responsibility."
The board also said there had been no incidents from Harrison in a long time and he'd completed a range of rehabilitative work. It said that any risk would be mitigated by strong release conditions.
His conditions of release were to remain on electronic monitoring, to not attempt to contact the victim of his offending, to not consume alcohol or drugs, and not to contact Meha Taylor-Haeata, Renee Haeata or Anthony Hirawani.
Meha Taylor-Haeata last appeared before the Parole Board on February 15, 2021.
The board noted that Taylor-Haeata has not behaved well in prison until recently and a psychologist assessed him to be at high-risk of future violence and general offending.
His parole was declined and the board recommended he undertake a Special Treatment Unit Programme. He will appear before the board again in June 2022.
Anthony Hirawani appeared before the board on December 14, 2021, with the panel noting that he had made progress since being incarcerated and was taking part in the Adult Sex Offender Treatment Programme.
"Initially, Mr Hirawani did not accept responsibility for his offending. He was exited from the Adult Sex Offender Treatment Programme at the first attempt largely for that reason. Since then mainly because of the impact his imprisonment was having on his family, and in particular, his daughter, he took full responsibility for what he had done to his victim," the board said in its decision.
His parole was declined and will be back before the board in September 2022.
Renee Haeata appeared before the board on October 5, 2021. The panel said he had made progress but was assessed in 2019 as having a high risk of reoffending and sexual recidivism.
His parole was declined until he's next eligible in April 2023.
