Murderer denied parole again as ‘undue risk’

Andrew Macmillan in 2007. Photo: One News
Andrew Macmillan in 2007. Photo: One News
A Dunedin murderer has been denied parole again, while he continues to work with a psychologist on why he keeps being returned to prison and to develop a safety plan for his release.

Andrew Ronald MacMillan (55) is serving a life sentence at the Otago Corrections Facility after killing 17-year-old Jayne McLellan and dumping her naked body in the Kaikorai Stream in 1988.

He has subsequently had a number of releases and recalls to prison.

He had two pages of convictions prior to the murder.

Parole Board chairman Sir Ron Young said in a December 2 decision released yesterday that the board last saw MacMillan in February this year.

McLellan had been recalled and released in July last year and then recalled again in September for cannabis possession and possession of a knife.

The board’s view was MacMillan needed to work with a psychologist on a one-to-one basis to address two things: firstly, the reasons why he kept coming back to prison and appeared to be unable to practise what he had learnt in prison through his rehabilitation; and, secondly, to further develop his safety plan, Sir Ron said.

As to the board’s current position, it had been proposed MacMillan would be released in the South Island, "but as it turned out that has not worked out well and he now has a potential release address at [withheld] in Hamilton".

MacMillan needed to do the risk-based work with the psychologist the board identified back in February, Sir Ron said.

That had only just begun. MacMillan had had two ses-
sions with a psychologist to identify what work needed to be done and it was anticipated that work would be completed by late February next year.

At that stage, the board thought the proper course would be to transfer MacMillan to Waikeria Prison in the Waikato.

That would be the nearest prison to his release address in Hamilton, and then he could start to work with an organisation, the name of which was withheld, and have guided releases to their residence if they accepted him for release there, the parole decision said.

"In the meantime, given the work still to be done, Mr MacMillan remains an undue risk. We will see again by the end of April 2022."

 

 

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