Neighbours get offender shifted
Residents’ pressure has forced the Department of Corrections to shift a child-sex offender from a Lower Hutt neighbourhood to the grounds of Christchurch Prison.
The move is being hailed as a victory for the Maungaraki community but Corrections has warned the man’s relocation is temporary and he will eventually be rehoused somewhere else in the Wellington region.
One neighbouring family fled their home in fear after learning of the three-time child-sex offender’s placement there.
The decision to move him was made after his accommodation provider noted the community’s concerns, Corrections national commissioner Jeremy Lightfoot said.
‘‘The relocation of this offender became necessary as our service provider’s staff became increasingly uncomfortable with the community’s reaction to their presence. Because of this, the service provider regrettably terminated its contract early.’’
Corrections Minister Judith Collins said last week the man was under intensive 24-hour supervision, and was under GPS monitoring. The man had not reoffended in the past 10 years, during which time he had been living in the community, Lightfoot added.
Placing high-risk offenders in communities was a challenge for Corrections staff, he said: ‘‘This is not an authority they can fail to act on, it is the law.
‘‘My preference is that they do this with the support of local community leaders when high-risk offenders are involved. That way a more sustainable outcome should be able to be achieved for all concerned parties.’’
Trevor Mallard, the MP for Hutt South, his political opposite National MP Chris Bishop, and Hutt mayor Ray Wallace all waded in on the community’s campaign to have Corrections shift the man last week following concerns about his proximity to school and young neighbours.
Corrections was asked to review the offender’s placement, saying there were 35 young children living in immediate proximity to the man’s residence.
Mallard had previously claimed Corrections had warned the offender’s neighbours to move their 3-year-old daughter’s paddling pool out of his view.
An email seen by Mallard also appeared to show the lease with the community provider that housed the offender had been cancelled, meaning he should not be replaced by another offender.
Mallard called it a ‘‘major victory’’ for the community but said he wanted to find out where the man was going next to ensure he did not become another community’s problem.
Bishop said the result showed what communities could do when they spoke out about their concerns.
‘‘The site was just so inappropriate – it’s hard to think of a worse place for someone to be. The community has been very strong in their opposition.’’
Wallace had said the offender should be placed in a community with fewer children, such as a retiree-populated area.