Murderer and rapist paroled
Sam Tehei, who raped and murdered Colleen Burrows in 1987, has been paroled from prison.
A Parole Board report said Tehei, now 55, was serving a life sentence for murder after taking the 16-year-old, with some Mongrel Mob associates, to a Napier gang pad on June 18, 1987.
Tehei will be released in April. There are a range of conditions that surround his release, including not being able to live in Hawke’s Bay, near Burrows’ family.
Burrows’ mother Ida Hawkins opposed Tehei’s release.
In the report he acknowledged he still has Mongrel Mob affiliations.
Tehei plans to have his heavy facial tattoos lasered off, but ‘‘was less sure about the tattoos on his hands. As they clearly identify him as a Mongrel Mob member, he needs to think carefully about having those removed too, if he truly wants to distance himself from that gang,’’ the report said.
‘‘However, he does not want to associate with gang members in the community, as he recognises that that is another high-risk situation for him.
‘‘Mr Tehei is hopeful ... he can obtain employment, possibly as a truck driver.‘‘
The board said Tehei’s risk of reoffending level had dropped and he had been involved in work outside prison for eight months.
While in prison in the 1990s Tehei and his brother were involved in a vicious attack on a fellow inmate.