Murder victim's husband condemns 'failed system'

Tai Hobson, whose wife Mary was murdered four years ago by William Bell at the Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA, says he is a forgiving man.

"But I'll never forgive Bell; I'll just forgive the one that gets to him."

Mr Hobson was speaking at Parliament yesterday after giving evidence to the select committee considering the Prisoner and Victims Claims Bill, which allows victims to claim any compensation awarded to prisoners.

The bill is the Government's response to outrage last year over the $130,000 being awarded to five criminals for mistreatment they had suffered in solitary confinement.

"Why are the criminals allowed compensation and the victims get nothing," he said.

"They put themselves there, not us. We did not put ourselves where we are, yet it's a blooming holiday in there. They've got everything - TVs, radios, telephones and all the works."

Mr Hobson was flanked at the committee by Sensible Sentencing Trust leaders Garth McVicar and Wendy Pedler.

Mr McVicar told the committee that Mr Hobson, who had been a duty manager of the RSA, had taken Bell under his wing.

"He was teaching him how to be a decent citizen. He was teaching him how to work in the RSA and to pour beer.

"He repaid that by killing his wife."

Mr Hobson is appealing against an Auckland High Court decision - without legal aid - to strike out a compensation claim he made for alleged negligence of the probation service in its handling of Bell, who was on parole at the time of the murders.

"Mary and the other RSA victims would be alive today if the Government services that are required to protect us had followed their own rules and regulations," Mr Hobson's submission said.

"Criminals are being allowed to seek compensation for the wrongs done to them when the system fails. We have been wronged and should at least be given the same basic human right to seek justice as the criminals."