Burdett killer-rapist loses parole bid

Teina Pora

The man convicted of the rape and murder of South Auckland woman Susan Burdett has had his application for parole declined.

The Parole Board issued its decision today after a hearing which ended late last month.

Teina Pora, a Mongrel Mob prospect, was sentenced to 10 years' jail for aggravated robbery, 12 years for rape and life imprisonment for murder in 1994, two years after Ms Burdett's slaying.

After having his convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal, he was convicted again in 2000 and the Appeal Court later that year changed his minimum non-parole period on the murder conviction from 13 years to 10 years.

Another of Ms Burdett's attackers, South Auckland serial rapist Malcolm Rewa, had been sentenced to preventive detention with a non-parole period of 22 years for other sexual offences committed between 1987 and 1995.

Less than a year later he was retried for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett. He was found guilty of the rape but the jury was unable to decide of the murder charge.

Rewa was sentenced to 14 years' jail for the rape, to be served concurrently.

The board heard evidence from two experts who agreed that Pora required a programme to commence in prison and to continue out of prison.

Such a programme included stable accommodation with pro-social networks, work and/or work skills, and an income so he could manage financially.

Pora required a relationship with someone who was able to support him through stresses, and both experts considered that could be performed not only by a skilled probation officer but also by a psychologist who would start one-to-one psychological counselling in prison and then continue it afterwards.

Because those steps did not form part of Pora's release plan, the board declined his application.

However, the board said it would see Pora again in November.

"Seeing him in November and asking, as we do, for a further assessment at that time, will enable the board to see whether he has responded adequately by that time or whether more counselling or preparation is needed," it said.

- NZPA