Man who murdered a pensioner has parole postponed

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An Oamaru man serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of a pensioner has had his parole postponed for two years.

Peter Douglas Carrington, 45, appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board this month for consideration of a postponement order.

He is serving a life sentence for the murder of 73-year-old Mya Sollis, of Punakaiki, at Morrisons Beach on January 16, 2002.

In 1988, he had received a sentence of seven years for unlawful sexual connection and a wounding offence.

He first appeared before the board in November 2012, when he indicated a willingness to undertake the adult sex offender treatment programme, "although his motivation at that point was thought to be questionable", the board noted.

The board was encouraged he would be joining the programme's starters group, to begin later this month.

He was expected to complete the programme by late next year and he hoped he might be eligible for entry into a self-care unit, at the undisclosed prison at which he is serving his sentence.

Carrington was not seeking a release, nor would he oppose a two-year postponement period.

The board reached a view that Carrington would not be suitable for a release in a year's time, and made a postponement order for two years.

The board advised Carrington in the days before the hearing they had met the victim's son and his wife, who "strongly oppose a release on parole".

In response to the victim's questioning on whether Carrington's motivation for entering the treatment programme was genuine, he told the board he was "genuinely motivated to undertake it in order to ensure that his risk of reoffending can be reduced".