Reduction in sex offender's supervision criticised

The Corrections Departments wants supervision of serial paedophile Lloyd McIntosh halved to save money, National MP Tony Ryall has revealed.

McIntosh's offences include the rape of a 23-month-old baby and a six-year-old, and assaulting an intellectually disabled woman.

He has served his sentences but a month ago the High Court at Christchurch deemed him too dangerous to be released into the community and imposed a 10-year supervision order -- the maximum possible to be imposed under new legislation designed to protect society from serious offenders.

That supervision was to comprise 24-hour monitoring by two community centre staff, with both supervisors to accompany him on any outing from his house in Christchurch Prison's grounds.

The court made the supervision ruling on December 8 but on December 10 Southern Region Community Probation Service regional manager Warwick Duell contacted the supervision provided requesting the cut.

"It is the department's view that the level of supervision of Lloyd can be reduced to one-on-one for the full 24-hour period," Mr Duell said in the letter, obtained by Mr Ryall.

"We believe that Lloyd should be settling into his programme and that two-to-one is no longer required."

In a second letter, dated December 23, Mr Duell said there was "a need to mange this contract within financial expectations".

Mr Ryall said this morning the Government had to step in and protect the public.

McIntosh had already shown one supervisor was not enough when he sexually attacked an intellectually handicapped woman while a security guard stood outside the door.

"He is a very conniving individual who can potentially manipulate a sole supervisor," Mr Ryall said. "That's why two are necessary."

Mr Ryall also believed the move was being made purely on financial grounds rather than as the result of a clear, psychological assessment.

He also doubted McIntosh could ever be rehabilitated.

"I think he is extremely dangerous and is going to pose to a threat to the public for quite some time to come," Mr Ryall said.

"The Government should step in and stop this and protect the public. Leave this level of supervision as it is."

- NZPA