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A special order will likely be sought to try to keep the man dubbed the Beast of Blenheim behind bars amid concerns he will reoffend if released in December as scheduled.
Stewart Murray Wilson, labelled the Beast of Blenheim for his extensive history of sex crimes against women, children and animals, has served almost two-thirds of a 21-year sentence he received in March, 1996, but now claims he poses no threat.
He was jailed on six counts of rape, three of stupefying or attempting to stupefy, one of attempted rape, one of raping a girl under 14, one of bestiality, two of ill-treatment of children, two of assault on females, two of indecent assault on children, and four of indecent assault on women.
Wilson is due to appear before a parole hearing next week.
But regardless of the result, the law at the time he was jailed means he is required to be released after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
This makes his official release date December 2.
The Department of Corrections can seek an order from the Parole Board to make the prisoner serve the full sentence, with six-monthly reviews, if it is considered likely he will reoffend.
The Weekend Herald understands this application will be made, but a Corrections spokesman would not comment yesterday.
Wilson's lawyer, Andrew McKenzie, told the Weekend Herald any such order would be "vigorously opposed".
Wilson has long campaigned to get his convictions overturned, going as far as writing directly to the Queen asking for a royal pardon.
Last year Wilson chose not to attend his parole hearing, and wrote to the board asking for it to be cancelled.
In its decision to deny him parole, the board said Wilson remained at a "very high risk of reoffending".
In his letter to the board, Wilson said he posed no threat and was in a weakened state of health. Anxiety put him at risk of a heart attack, he said.
