A sex offender who went on a $120,000 burglary spree to service his meth addiction will remain in prison until at least next year.
A psychologist told the Parole Board this month that the Otago Corrections Facility prisoner was a high risk of offending in future.
“In addition, the psychologist believes Mr Winter is not currently equipped to cope with the stresses of reintroduction into life in the community,” panel convener Jim Thomson said.
As Winter had not completed the prescribed treatment while behind bars and had no viable address to which he could be released, parole was declined.
On June 26, 2018, police raided Winter’s Brockville home, the court heard at sentencing.
More than 600 items of stolen property were recovered, and that was only half of what had been stolen during the seven-month spree of break-ins in Dunedin.
Winter told the board it was driven by his severe addiction to methamphetamine.
All but one of the burglaries occurred when families were out or on holiday and most targeted the city’s more affluent suburbs, such as Maori Hill, Belleknowes and Waverley.
Court documents listed the range of goods Winter either burgled or received, which included jewellery and electronics, as well as items of sentimental value.
One of the victims said the sense of violation was so deep they were left feeling like they had been raped.
While there were no sex offences in Winter’s latest slew of crimes, the Parole Board highlighted a lengthy history.
His offending began in 1993 and stretched to nine pages, which included eight years’ imprisonment for rape and unlawful sexual connection, convictions for arson in 1997 and now 21 burglaries.
Winter had completed the drug treatment programme while serving his most recent jail term.
“Initially, he could be rather sarcastic but later presented himself with a self-controlled and quiet and capable demeanour. His interaction on the second part of the programme was more positive,” Mr Thomson said.
Next month, Winter would be assessed for the Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme: group-based therapy for men with a propensity for violence, antisocial attitudes, poor self-control or alcohol and drug issues.
Mr Thomson said he was a low-security inmate and was described as “generally compliant”.
Winter will appear before the Parole Board again in January.
Co-defendant Benjamin Zachery Burgess (31) was jailed for four years, seven months and paroled in March, while Sheena Margaret Macintosh Daisley (44) served eight and a-half months’ home detention for receiving $23,000 of the stolen goods.
