Fears a Gisborne man convicted of rape would fall back into the promiscuous, binge drinking party atmosphere of his surf life saving club have seen him denied parole.
Kurt John Owen, 21, appeared before the Parole Board this month after serving one third of his six year sentence for rape and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection. The incident occurred at a Gisborne motel in 2005, when he was 17.
The victim and her family opposed his release.
The Parole Board, chaired by Judge David Carruthers, said Owen had yet to acknowledge the offending and had made no apology to his victim as he believed she consented. That meant he was ineligible for some prison programmes.
In January, Owen failed to have his conviction overturned by the Supreme Court.
Owen had a glowing behaviour report while in prison, but a psychologist's report assessed him as having a medium to low risk of reoffending.
The psychologist said social binge drinking and a history of casual sexual relations, particularly within the surf life saving club, promoted a sense of arrogance and promiscuity within the males.
The board said it was concerned Owen would fall back into the strong party lifestyle.
"The party atmosphere involved excessive use of alcohol; casual sex seems also to have been part of it.
"It is clear that in the atmosphere that then prevailed, in which Mr Owen was an enthusiastic participant, consent to sexual intercourse was mostly assumed, never respectfully sought."
The board declined his parole. It will see him again in six months.
