Ewen Macdonald denied parole

  • Breaking
  • 24/11/2013

Convicted animal killer Ewen Macdonald has been denied parole for a second time.

He will not be able to reapply for an early release until 2014, following the decision at Christchurch Prison this morning.

A media representative says the Board was "not satisfied" that Macdonald was no longer a risk to the community.

Macdonald was jailed for five years in September 2012 for an assortment of crimes committed over several years on and around a Fielding farm he helped manage.

While he admitted the six counts early in proceedings, Macdonald consistently denied a more serious charge – the callous murder of his brother-in-law, Scott Guy.

Mr Guy died of shotgun wounds to his face, neck and arm in his driveway in 2010.

Macdonald was tried for Mr Guy's murder but was acquitted.

However, he was jailed for five years on the other charges, which included killing calves with a hammer, stealing deer, vandalising Mr Guy's home in 2009 and the arson of a farmhouse on Mr Guy's land the year before.

Macdonald first became eligible for parole in December 2012, just a few weeks after his sentencing, as he'd already served almost one-third of his five-year term while awaiting trial.

However, his first attempt was unsuccessful as the Parole Board was not satisfied with his rehabilitation.

Prisoners freed on parole are subjected to a number of stringent release conditions, often including electronic monitoring, and must report to probation officers before making any major change in their life.

They may be recalled to prison to if they breach release conditions or if the Parole Board decides they are an undue risk to the community.

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