One of the country's worst drink-driving killers wants to live with his girlfriend when he is released from prison in June.

A Rotorua woman whose home was torched by her ex-partner is shocked he has been released from jail after serving just over one-third of his sentence.

The convicted murderer of Timaru hitch-hiker Lisa Blakie continues to pledge his innocence and hopes to clear his name, it emerged today.

A murderer serving a life sentence is not ready to be released says the Parole Board. But because he is a mental health patient, he has already been out into the community.

Veteran Maori rights activist Tame Iti says he holds no animosity towards the Crown for his stay in prison after his early release on parole this morning.

The Parole Board has released its reasons for releasing Tuhoe activist Tame Iti on parole, saying he was been an "exemplary" prisoner.

The family of Tame Iti will have nearly two weeks to decide how to celebrate his release after the veteran Tuhoe activist was granted parole today.

A transgender prisoner has been ordered to serve her sentence in a men's prison, not on home detention as requested.

A former lover has admitted setting fire to his ex-partner's house and torching her car after failing to win her back.

A hearing on whether convicted killer David Tamihere breached his parole by flying over an historic Coromandel murder scene has been delayed for six months.

A sexual assault victim faced her attacker in court and described how his "depravity" had robbed her of her childhood.

A transgender woman who struck a man over the head with a bottle of sparkling wine has pleaded with a judge not to send her to a men's prison.

The 32-year-old, jailed yesterday for five years, will have his first parole hearing in December.

A former detective has been sentenced to 10 months' home detention for defrauding a national sevens tournament of $64,000.