A convicted wife killer is too dangerous to be released from prison, the Parole Board says.
Dean Raymond Purdy, 57, has been denied another chance for parole, with the Board saying it's essential he works on his relationship with others and learning to cope in the community.
Purdy was sentenced to life imprisonment for strangling his 23-year-old sex worker wife, Debbie, with her own underwear in 1991. The two were arguing over whether she would continue her sex work.
He's been granted parole three times in the past, and each time he's been recalled to prison. He's also been convicted of five breaches of special conditions and three other offences including two of escaping.
Purdy got into trouble in 2008 for breaching the conditions of a temporary licence for release from prison by walking out of a rehabilitation assessment, saying he needed "time out". He turned himself in to police two days later.
Purdy again broke his parole in 2011 for associating with a criminal and drug addict.
He was granted parole again in 2014 but almost immediately breached it by going out at night and using a cellphone. He was then caught by police contacting prostitutes in a central city location.
Along with the prostitutes breach, he escaped custody in 2014 during a visit to Christchurch Hospital when two Corrections officers took his handcuffs off.
A psychologist report for the Parole Board noted Purdy "has a history of offending, minimising and justifying and shifting blame for both his offending and his recalls".
However the Board notes Purdy now accepts he was responsible for the recalls and that he says he "no longer had the anti-authoritarian attitude that meant he was repetitively recalled".
"Although he remains a high risk, the psychologist accepted that given the efforts he had made, he was ready for release," its decision states.
"The key, no doubt, for Purdy is that while his behaviour within the prison can be adequate, it is learning to cope outside in the community and to work on his relationship with others that will be essential.
"We will see him again by the end of May 2021. We think that is an appropriate period to further test Purdy.
"In the meantime, he remains an undue risk and cannot be released."
