Liquor store owner's killer too risky to parole - board

Shiu Prasad. Photo / Supplied

A man who murdered a South Auckland liquor store owner while on bail for another violent attack on a shopkeeper has been denied parole because he is still considered a "high risk" to the community.

In 2002, William Samson Holtz was sentenced to life in prison for stabbing Shiu Prasad during a robbery at his Mangere liquor store.

Mr Prasad was stabbed 10 times with two knives and died in hospital of wounds to his liver and pancreas.

Holtz had been released on parole two months before the killing, after serving half of a four-year sentence for robbing an Indian shopkeeper at knifepoint in 1997.

He became eligible for parole this year after serving 10 years of his sentence. At a hearing on April 7, the Parole Board heard Holtz had "little internal motivation" to attend in-prison programmes.

Convener Judge Richard Watson said Holtz still posed a risk to the safety of the community.

He said a psychological report showed Holtz was a "high risk of further serious offending".

"We have indicated to Mr Holtz that much needs to be done by him before he is going to be in a position where parole can be offered to him," he said.

"He will be seen again by the extended Parole Board within the next 12 month period."

Holtz has more than 50 convictions, dating back to 1974.

They include 14 convictions for assault or weapons possession, and he was convicted of aggravated robberies, including a raid on a Papakura dairy in 1989, for which he was jailed for six years.

He had been involved with the Black Power gang since his teens, rising to "lifetime member" status and the rank of sergeant-at-arms, and has served time in penal institutions ranging from borstal to Paremoremo.