Triple murderer of wife and two children back in jail for assaulting girlfriend

Triple murderer Duane Shaw - who killed his wife and two children in 1986 - is back in jail after bashing his girlfriend while on parole.

Shaw, 40, pleaded guilty to two assaults and was jailed for one year for each charge at the Wellington District Court yesterday.

He was sentenced to life in 1987 after admitting murdering Tania Thomson and being found guilty of murdering Kylie, 3, and nine-month-old Mishana.

Shaw had stabbed Ms Thomson and set her alight. The two girls died in the Wellington fire.

Shaw was freed on life parole in 1996. Several years later he met his new partner and they moved in together earlier this year. The new partner also has two daughters.

Judge Anne Gaskell said his partner had returned to their Hutt Valley home after picking the children up from school to find Shaw packing her bags.

When she asked what was happening, Shaw became angry and seized her about the throat before kicking and punching her.

Days later, Shaw grabbed her by the throat and punched her in the head five or six times. Her children screamed at Shaw to stop.

After he let go, she managed to get away and call the police.

Judge Gaskell said Shaw had been alcohol-dependent as a teenager and his childhood had been violent and unhappy.

The judge said Shaw was now back in prison after being recalled to serve his life sentence and had begun seeing a psychologist, which was helping him. She said imprisonment was the only option available.

The judge said there was a need to deter domestic violence, especially in Shaw's case.

Defence lawyer Chris Stevenson said Shaw was sorry for his actions.

He said Shaw was haunted by his past, felt he had let himself down and wanted to deal with his offending.

Crown prosecutor Cameron Mander said Shaw had fundamentally lost self-control and, with his history, it was of grave concern.

- NZPA