Convicted sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson stayed sealed in his unit on the grounds of Whanganui Prison since being released from jail on Wednesday and is said to be extremely apprehensive.
Wilson has served 16 years for multiple rapes of women, assault, drugging, the ill-treatment of children and bestiality, which he still denies.
The 65-year-old was released just before 6am when he was escorted by prison officers to a self-care unit outside the Whanganui Prison fence but on its property. He will stay there until the house he is to live in is moved onto nearby land.
A stream of officials visited the property, one of them bearing flowers. Department of Corrections officials say they were a gift from a friend of Wilson's in Christchurch but gave no further details.
Radio New Zealand's reporter outside the North Island prison said about half a dozen police officers were posted outside the jail as he was moved.
At a media conference, department officials said immediately on arrival at the unit, Wilson shut the door and pulled the curtains. He has had GPS tracking technology fitted and has a cellphone.
Two probation officers are spending the next two days with Wilson, inducting him into the conditions of his release.
The officers say Wilson told them he did not want to cause any problems and intended to stay on prison property and keep to himself. He has no plans to travel into town. His temporary accommodation is a four-room unit, with a couch, television, bed, laundry and cooking facilities.
Probation Service manager Vivien Whelan says while there are no immediate plans to take Wilson into Whanganui, that will happen in due course.
"It does need to happen for a successful reintegration but I can't give you a time for that. Mr Wilson is going to need to be ready himself, there's no point in us rushing this process."
Ms Whelan says Wilson is being compliant and is also quite frightened and very subdued.
Minders a decision for probation officer, board rules
The Parole Board has refused to rule on whether two minders should have to accompany Wilson whenever he leaves his home.
On Monday, the High Court upheld Wilson's challenge to his reintegration plan, including the requirement for the minders.
The court directed Wilson's lawyer Andrew McKenzie and the Department of Corrections to revise the plan, and put it before the Parole Board for reconsideration.
But in a decision made late on Wednesday afternoon, the board declined to rule on whether the minders should remain or not.
Instead, it has left it up to Wilson's probation officer to decide on the details, engagement and completion of the reintegration plan.
Mr McKenzie says his client has been left in limbo and is seeking clarification on the decision. He says the Parole Board appears to have sidestepped the issue.
Wilson to be excluded from many public areas
At a meeting on Tuesday, Wanganui District Council voted to trespass Wilson from local parks, reserves and recreational spaces including libraries.
Councillor Michael Laws is confident the trespass scheme will work. "The moment he steps into one of those trespass areas, he's breaching that, and we can have him arrested and he'll be back inside and he won't be troubling us."
Another councillor, Ray Stevens, has been corralling shopkeepers to trespass Wilson should he arrive at their door.
Mr Stevens plans to increase those efforts and link them with the trespass on parks and recreational spaces.
