A 44-year-old man who stabbed his former partner to death using a combination of knives and a spade has been denied parole.
At a parole board hearing on April 30, Gareth Lawrence Smither was declined on the basis that ''he poses an undue risk to the safety of the community'' and a ''moderate risk of both violent and sexual re-offending'', decision documents released today said.
Smither was found guilty of murdering Karen Jacobs in her Dunedin home in July, 1997, after stabbing her with knives and a garden spade while her 2-year-old daughter, Georgina, was in the next room.
Her battered body was found by her mother Maureen Watson.
A recent psychological assessment report for Smither suggested his risk of violent and sexual recidivism was high, and a decision could not be made on his safe release until he ''had been tested over time'' in a ''variety of situations''.
