Rapist out of prison
A Southland man jailed for a horrific attack on a Dutch couple in 2009 has been released.
Maakiti Joseph Tipene, 34, was serving a 10-year sentence for several charges of physical and sexual violence.
In January 2009, Tipene burst in on a backpacking pair as they slept in their station wagon at a camping ground in Tuatapere, Western Southland.
Tipene pulled a sleeping bag off the woman, raped her and forced her to perform sexual acts on him while holding a knife to her.
He appealed the sentence in 2009, saying it was manifestly excessive. It was later denied.
Tipene, who became eligible for parole in 2015, was paroled in August 2018, five months before his statutory release date in January this year.
At a parole board hearing at Rolleston Prison last July, members of the board said Tipene was nearing the end of a 10-year sentence for charges including rape, burglary, threatening to kill and kidnapping.
The most serious offending was an attack on two vulnerable overseas tourists, including rape of the woman.
The previous board had received written submissions from the victims saying they were dismayed at the discount on the sentence imposed following the guilty plea.
One of the board members last July had been involved both in an original parole release decision and then revocation because of an incident involving smoking.
The parole assessment report in July noted a person, whose identity was withheld, continued to provide support for Tipene.
The report noted he had rejoined the graduates group at the adult sex offender treatment programme and had some further sessions with a psychologist.
When asked by the board about his concerns on release, he mentioned a potential problem with old associates, meaning those he had met in prison.
A reintegration plan for Tipene included an address available from August 1, which was withheld in the report, and a comprehensive wrap around proposal.
Tipene noted that on a previous occasion he had had some limited outside exposure including doing some shopping which he found challenging.
The ‘‘assessment of risk’’ for Tipene was in the medium area, the report says.
‘‘The key thing here is that a previous board had decided that that risk was manageable and it was only the later developments which led to that revocation.
‘‘There is nothing [that has] happened since really to alter that view as to risk.’’
With the standard and special conditions to run for six months past the statutory release date of January 16, the board was of the view that the risk to the community could be adequately mitigated.
Conditions of Tipene’s release included attending psychological, alcohol and drug assessments as required, not to consume alcohol or illicit drugs, not to loiter near camping grounds or licensed premises and to submit to electronic monitoring as directed by a probation officer.