Horse trekking sale hindered by red tape
Shipton seeks parole change
A Hanmer horse-trekking business is closing after its owner reached ‘‘the end of the road’’ in a red-tape wrangle with the council.
Hanmer Horses has laid off its three staff, is selling its horses and will auction its property next month.
Owner Jean Court decided to shut down after a protracted consent application to the Hurunui District Council hampered her efforts to sell the business.
Ms Court spent more then $1 million The victim of pack rapist Brad Shipton has addressed the Parole Board after he asked to change the terms of his release.
Former policeman Brad Shipton – jailed for his part in the rape of a Mt Maunganui woman – applied to have his parole conditions changed earlier this year. His application was considered by the board in mid February.
The details of his application are due to be made public when the board releases its decision this week.
He was granted parole in November 2008 on a raft of conditions, including that he give no interviews and live at a certain address until his sentence end date in 2014.
His female victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – made a ‘‘nerveracking’’ appearance before the Parole Board at Waikeria Prison on Friday.
Shipton had noted in his application that he wanted to lead a ‘‘normal life’’, she said.
‘‘My answer was that he can have his back when I get mine back.
‘‘His conditions of early release from prison were that he followed these conditions and he agreed to them.
‘‘Now he’s recanting, and that’s basically what he’s done his entire life with his victims.
The victim said she was still suffered because of the crimes Shipton committed against her.
‘‘The biggest thing would be suffering chronic post traumatic stress disorder.’’ building a stable complex on the property, about 3 kilometres from Hanmer Springs town centre, but found she needed consent to live there.
She lodged an application on March 29, which the council asked for more information on on April 27. That was provided on May 4 and the consent was finally approved on Wednesday.
By then, though, Ms Court had lost a ‘‘very, very keen’’ buyer, and made the call to close.
Had the consent been granted earlier, the sale might have survived, she said.
‘‘I certainly would not have lost this last buyer.’’
Hurunui District Council environmental services manager Judith Batchelor said the consent process took ‘‘longer than we would like’’.
‘‘At times we have bulges of consents that go through. With a small department if we get an influx it slows our processing times.