The transfer of sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson to Whanganui Prison ahead of his release next week could be seen as arrogant given legal action against the move, the city's mayor says.
Annette Main said she was frustrated at the lack of notice given by the Corrections Department when they moved the man known as the Beast of Blenheim from Rolleston Prison in Christchurch to Whanganui on Saturday, ahead of his controversial release to a house on the prison grounds on Wednesday.
The district council is challenging the move in the High Court in Wellington on Monday and Ms Main told Radio New Zealand the transfer could be seen as an arrogant move. The council was still not accepting that he was going to be paroled to Whanganui.
"I know they've got three days and they have to assume that they'll be successful but we don't expect that yet.
"We wouldn't be taking the legal action if we weren't pretty confident we weren't going to succeed," she said.
She received a call from the department around 4.30pm, after Wilson had been moved.
Wilson, 65, was jailed in 1996 for 22 sex offences against women, children and animals over 25 years in Blenheim.
His 17 parole conditions will be the strictest in New Zealand history and include a GPS tracking system to monitor his movements.
The Corrections Department said it continued to follow the direction of the Parole Board to place Wilson back in the community.
His move to Whanganui was "part of a routine transfer of prisoners" and the parole conditions were the best chance of ensuring the community's safety as well as allowing Wilson's gradual reintegration.
Wilson's lawyer Andrew McKenzie has also launched an urgent legal bid to ease the strict release conditions. That will also be heard in the High Court at Wellington on Monday.
NZN
