Whanganui looks at options over 'Beast'

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Whanganui looks at options over 'Beast'

3News NZ

Stewart Murray Wilson

Stewart Murray Wilson

Whanganui residents and councillors will today meet to discuss their next move after their appeal against the decision to move sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson to their community was dismissed.

Watch the video to see Wilson's lawyer Andrew McKenzie speak to Firstline this morning.

Whanganui District Council's legal challenge to the decision to release the 65-year-old multiple sex offender, known as the Beast of Blenheim, to a house on the grounds of Whanganui Prison was rejected by Justice Ronald Young following a judicial review in Wellington on Monday.

Wilson is now set to be released under some of the strictest conditions in New Zealand history on Wednesday after being moved to the prison on Saturday.

He will initially move into a self-contained unit at the prison while he waits for a house to be moved onto prison grounds. The council has until Monday to grant consent for the house.

Mayor Annette Main says she is frustrated and disappointed by the outcome of the judicial review and a public meeting to discuss the council's next move has been scheduled for Tuesday at 4pm.

"We have legitimately put the concerns of our community at the heart of our decision to pursue legal action and whilst that has not produced our desired outcome, we will continue to listen and support the Whanganui community in an overriding and powerful desire for a safe community," she said.

Wilson would never be welcome in Whanganui or any other community in New Zealand, she said.

Wilson's own appeal against the severity of his release conditions failed on all grounds bar the requirement that he be accompanied by two minders wherever he went as part of his reintegration plan.

The matter will be reconsidered by the Parole Board at an emergency hearing on Tuesday.

Wilson will live "outside the wire" but on prison property.

NZN

 

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Comments

28/08/2012 3:48:22 p.m.

Gary wrote:

The main fact that has been overlooked is that he is mentally ill and we all refuse to acknowledge that. All the complaining re-sentence and where he will now live is just to appease everyone else fear or ego (Michael Laws). This guy was and probably still is mentally ill, since we refuse to accept this and gave him a jail sentence we now find ourselves in this bazzar situation! So what shall we do with our mentally ill in NZ??

28/08/2012 12:37:21 p.m.

SK24 wrote:

I think a good look at the modus operandi of this guy is being overlooked in the debate on his risk to the community. Not one of the reports I have heard have described his victims, in terms of how/where he got them. Did he know the victims first or were they complete strangers. Was he in a position of "trust" with his victims before the abuse started? Shedding a little light on that might go a little way towards calming the fears of the community. I am not saying he is not a danger, I am just wondering whether the fears of the community are as well informed as they should be?

28/08/2012 12:24:50 p.m.

christine wrote:

Dave, he's done his time.

28/08/2012 10:04:32 a.m.

dave wrote:

I wonder who will duck the quickest if this guy re-offends. If he is at serious risk of re-offending, then the community should be protected from him. Simple as that. if there is no law that allows this, make one and pronto.

28/08/2012 9:53:00 a.m.

c hristine wrote:

Mr Wilson has become a sort of poster boy for others like him in this country. This country has high rates of domestic violence, but Mr Wilson is getting all the headlines. I venture to suggest that there are many other "beasts" out there...