Hon Phil Goff Minister of Justice

12 January 2005

McIntosh remains under 24-7 supervision

Convicted sex offender Lloyd McIntosh remains under 24-hour, seven-day supervision with Corrections investing more than a quarter of a million dollars a year to minimise the risk of his reoffending, says Justice Minister Phil Goff.

"I am advised by the Corrections Department that the 24-7 regime to which McIntosh is being subjected requires him to be accompanied at all times by a supervisor when at home or outside his home. McIntosh is being accommodated within prison grounds to facilitate his supervision," Mr Goff said.

"Corrections state that the reduction from having two supervisors at any one time was included in the original arrangement between Corrections and those responsible for his supervision. It is not part of a cost-cutting exercise, and given the $250,000 to $300,000 being spent on his supervision, that accusation is scarcely credible.

"Corrections' assessment is that one-on-one supervision of McIntosh is appropriate to prevent risk of reoffending at this point.

"Mr Ryall's criticisms in this regard are a case of utter hypocrisy. McIntosh's release in 1993 was a result of the National government, which Ryall was an MP, deciding to amend the Mental Health Act.

"This resulted in a number of high-risk recidivist sexual offenders like Lloyd McIntosh and Barry Ryder being dumped out on the streets, with no special provision to stop their offending.

"This needs to be contrasted with the steps taken by this Labour-led government.

"Firstly, the Sentencing Act passed in 2002 now means that people like Lloyd McIntosh are receiving preventive detention, an indeterminate sentence. This is a life-long sentence, which Ryder has now received after having reoffended, and may result in him never being released.

"Preventive detention, however, cannot be imposed retrospectively on Lloyd McIntosh, who has completed his prison sentence, which was for a finite period.

"Secondly, legislation was passed last year allowing for an extended supervision period of up to 10 years for serious and recidivist sex offenders after the completion of their sentences. This has been upheld by the High Court and Lloyd McIntosh will be subject to it when his Court-ordered release provisions expire in April. It allows for initial 24-7 supervision and electronic monitoring to reduce risk in the period following release.

"Thirdly, unlike under Tony Ryall's National government, intensive supervision has been put in place for McIntosh. While this involves a very high level of expense it is considered necessary to reduce the risk of McIntosh reoffending. His track record has been to offend against those he knows, rather than strangers.

"Had National acted in a timely way with the legislative changes now in place, the sorry saga surrounding Lloyd McIntosh could have been avoided," Mr Goff said.

ENDS

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