KEY POINTS:
The Parole Board has apologised to the mother of a 14-year-old girl drugged and raped by a Christchurch sex offender for failing to notify her of his release.
As a member of the victim notification register, she was supposed to be told of David James Shepherd's imminent release after he appeared before the board in March.
The board said the error was rare and it has issued a public apology.
Shepherd was jailed for 11 years in 2000 for plying three teenage babysitters at his home with a cocktail of drugs, and raping two of them.
A legal requirement resulted in him being released on Tuesday.
But the mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, heard third-hand that Shepherd would be out on the streets.
"It's really disappointing because there are systems for notification and they need to be followed," she told The Press.
"Otherwise, what's the point in having a system? I could have bumped into him at the supermarket."
- NZPA
