Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Judge reserves decision on Wilson extended supervision

Updated at 7:43 pm on 5 July 2012

A court hearing to decide whether serial sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson should have extended supervision when he is released has ended with a judge reserving a decision until next week.

Wilson, known as the Beast of Blenheim, was jailed for 21 years in 1996 for rape, bestiality, stupefying and ill-treatment of children over a period of 25 years.

He is due to be released in September and the Probation Service is making an application at the High Court in Christchurch to have him placed under extended supervision for 10 years.

Earlier a clinical psychologist told the court Wilson falls into a small group of sexual offenders who stand a very high risk of re-offending.

Jane Freeman-Brown, who carried out the most recent risk assessment of Wilson, told the court he had refused all treatment in prison and maintained his innocence.

She said the fact that he is now in his mid-60s will not reduce his chances of re-offending and will only make it more likely he will target the vulnerable - such as children.

Ms Freeman-Brown said Wilson had continued to display sexually inappropriate behaviour in prison.

Wilson has denied writing a story which was found in his cell at Rolleston Prison, that talks about sexual offending against a girl with a similar name to one of his victims.

Lawyers for the Department of Corrections said it was Wilson who wrote this story and said it indicated there was a high risk of him re-offending upon his release.

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