30 Jun 2017

No parole for Phillip John Smith

3:29 pm on 30 June 2017

Murderer, paedophile and jail-breaker Phillip John Smith has been denied parole because he still has a high risk of offending.

Phillip John Smith

Phillip John Smith Photo: RNZ / POLICE

Smith is serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of a man whose son he had been sexually abusing.

He was also convicted last year for escaping prison and fleeing to Brazil in 2014.

A Parole Board report said Smith was still rated a high risk for sexual violence and general re-offending.

However, the report reveals his prison security classification has been changed from high to medium/low.

The board said Smith remained in voluntary segregation, which made it difficult for him to take part in rehabilitation programmes.

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