Sex abusing dance teacher denied parole for a third time

A sex offender who groomed and preyed on a young woman in his dance class has been told he needs to complete a rehabilitative programme before he is granted parole.

Whanganui dance teacher Stayz Raukawa was sentenced to three years, six months in prison in October 2015 for four charges of unlawful sexual connection and eight counts of indecency with a teenager.

That teenager, Bex Sloan, spoke up about the sexual abuse as part of the Herald's Rape Awareness Week coverage.

Raukawa was her dance teacher and Sloan was 15 when the abuse occurred.

His sentence end date is in December 2018 but he appeared before the Parole Board on June 21 to be considered for an early release from prison, having already been denied parole on April 20 this year and November 2016.

Parole Board panel convener Judge Louis Bidois said: "Mr Raukawa does not realistically seek a grant of parole although he now has suitable accommodation... which has been approved.

"Mr Raukawa was advised that we had seen the victim this morning and she considered that Mr Raukawa needed to complete a sex offender's programme before he was safe to release to the community. She acknowledged strong family support for Mr Raukawa."

Judge Bidois said Raukawa had maintained "good behaviour" while in prison.

"Mr Raukawa has not had the opportunity to complete an offending-focused rehabilitative programme. That is now available to him.

"In the absence of completing such a rehabilitative programme Mr Raukawa poses an undue risk to the community and parole will be declined."

Judge Bidois said Raukawa is to complete the programme in October, and Raukawa was rescheduled for a parole hearing in February next year.