KEY POINTS:
The victim of convicted pack rapist Peter McNamara is hoping to appeal the Parole Board's decision to free him.
McNamara was jailed for seven years for the 1989 rape of a 20-year-old woman at Mt Maunganui. He is due for release on Janury 22.
Also jailed for the same attack were Tauranga fireman Warren Graham Hales, Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton, both serving policemen at the time of the incident.
In a written submission to the Parole Board, the victim said: "(The judge) did not tell McNamara to go to jail for 2-1/2 years for what he'd done; he told him to go to jail for seven years."
She said that the decision to release him sent the message to other victims that their abusers would not be punished.
The board said the critical issue in parole decisions was whether the release would pose a risk to public safety.
It had previously reversed a decision to grant him home detention two years into his sentence, after hearing the views of the victim.
This time it opted for parole, saying there was no merit in the release being to home detention.
The victim told The Dominion Post the board had paid no heed to her submission.
"I honestly thought that what I had to say should have made a difference. What I had to say was very real."
The Sensible Sentencing Trust is funding lawyers to seek a judicial review of the decision at the High Court.
Trust head Garth McVicar said they wanted to clarify what the term "safety to the community" meant.
Their argument would be that safety to the community went beyond whether McNamara would reoffend and would include public faith in sentencing and the effect on future victims' willingness to come forward.
They hoped to have the appeal heard before his release date.
Mr McVicar said the lawyers involved in the hearing had offered their services at reduced rates.
- NZPA
