One of the sisters jailed for the brutal murder of a south Auckland man has been denied parole.
Natalie Fenton was only 15 when she was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000 for the 1999 murder of Raymond Mullins, along with her sister Katrina, then aged 20, and cousin Daniella Bowman, then 18.
Mr Mullins was killed in a frenzied attack led by the younger Fenton sister in his home in April 1999.
Natalie Fenton stabbed him in the chest repeatedly with his own steak knife until the blade bent and she had to fetch another.
Katrina Fenton bashed Mr Mullins over the head with a hammer, while Bowman attacked him with a pot.
Bowman's young son witnessed the attack.
In a decision released today, the Parole Board said Natalie Fenton, who is now 30, had not sought release at the November 5 hearing, as she was "realistic" about her prospects.
However, her lawyer requested she be brought before the board again in six months' time, which the Parole Board agreed to.
"Given Ms Fenton's age, the significant progress that she has made during her time in custody, the mature way in which she has handled the disappointments and frustrations she has experienced in recent years," it said in its decision.
"We are confident that she is now on a positive re-integrative path. But at present, without a robust and approved release plan, she would pose an undue risk."
The decision detailed how Fenton had been transferred to an area where her sister and cousin had been released when they were granted parole - the name of which was redacted. However, the Community Probation Service did not approve of her living "anywhere in the (withheld) region" because of that reason.
She had since decided that she would prefer to return to her previous location where she had established relationships with Christian organisations and counsellors.
Fenton will appear before the Parole Board again in June.
Katrina Fenton was granted parole in 2012, while Bowman had her parole revoked in January this year.
- By Patrice Dougan of NZME
