Poisoner to be deported

Colin Bouwer, the psychiatrist who killed his wife with poison, has been granted parole.

Bouwer, 67, has been granted parole on the condition he be released into the custody of police for ‘‘immediate deportation from New Zealand’’.

That was expected to occur on October 11, allowing time for travel arrangements to be made.

Bouwer no longer posed a threat to the people in his home country of South Africa, his Dunedin-based lawyer David More said.

Bouwer’s health had deteriorated in prison and he had stage four chronic kidney disease ’’with a moderate deterioration in renal function over the past 12 months’’.

The parole report noted Bouwer had acknowledged that while he disagreed with official information, particularly relating to his motives in causing the death of his wife, Annette Bouwer, he had intentionally taken her life, a criminal act.

In discussion with a psychologist, Colin Bouwer ’’become tearful and expressed shame and guilt associated with his behaviour’’, the report said.

More said he had no instructions to file any appeals for his client’s conviction.

In November 2001, a jury took less than three hours to find Bouwer guilty of murdering his wife. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and has served his non-parole period of 15 years.