Marlborough Sounds Killer Scott Watson’s Parole Decision Says He Still Professes Innocence

Marlborough Sounds double convicted murderer Scott Watson says he cannot receive psychological treatment behind bars because he will not confess to the murders.

Watson, 49, had rejected parole for the third time earlier this month.

He made his last attempt at release in front of the Parole Board at Rolleston Prison, south of Christchurch.

But at the end of the hearing, the coordinator of the panel, Sir Ron Young, told him: “It is a no to parole, which may not surprise you.”

The board concluded that Watson remained an undue risk and could not yet be released.

Watson, who has spent more than 22 years behind bars after being sentenced to life in prison with a minimum period of 17 years without parole for the 1998 murders of Olivia Hope, 17, and Ben Smart, 21, will return. before the board. next november.

Today, the Parole Board released their full decisions rejecting parole.

A 2016 Parole Board decision identified risk factors related to Watson, who has always denied killing or even meeting Hope and Smart.

In a psychopathy checklist, the board noted that Watson was among a group of offenders “who show a high rate and speed of recidivism, particularly in relation to violence.”

After the 2016 decision, the board asked Corrections to consider what appropriate treatment Watson could be given.

The board felt that Watson’s denials should not be viewed as an insurmountable problem.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Watson has been unable, for a prolonged period, with the help of psychologists, to identify his treatment needs and begin treatment,” the board said in its reasons published today.

“Corrections believe they have provided Mr. Watson with reasonable opportunities to identify treatment needs and begin treatment.

“Mr. Watson feels they have not been prepared to help him and have insisted that he confess to the crime or put other impediments in his way.”

Now, the board has asked Corrections to see Watson “urgently.”

The fact that Watson has a new appeal to the Court of Appeal “should not be an impediment,” the board says.

“Hopefully Corrections will be able to identify treatment needs and hopefully start that treatment in the foreseeable future.”

Watson and his supporters, the case has long divided public opinion, received fresh hope in June this year after Justice Minister Andrew Little announced that Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy had referred their case to Court. of Appeal for a new hearing.

It came after an investigation by former Supreme Court Justice Sir Graham Panckhurst QC raised concerns about the forensic evidence used to convict Watson.

“The main basis for their request was that the DNA evidence linking two hairs taken from a blanket seized from Mr. Watson’s ship with Ms. Hope was not reliable,” the Justice Ministry said.

An earlier appeal to the Court of Appeal in 2000 was unsuccessful, as was his subsequent request for authorization to appeal to the Privy Council.

Watson then applied for a royal prerogative of clemency in November 2008.

That was evaluated by Kristy McDonald QC and finally rejected by Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae in July 2013, on the advice of then-Justice Minister Judith Collins.

Watson reapplied in 2017.

Watson has had good conduct and behavior in prison and has been working as a lead carpenter as well as a prison painter, a job in high demand because he can move around the prison.

It also has an overseas partner, the board was told earlier this month.

Watson said they had been in a stable relationship for the past 16 years.