Convicted rapist and former policeman Brad Shipton now acknowledges he has devastated the lives of his victim and family, the Parole Board said.
He has reflected while in prison on a life full of "disgraceful, disgusting behaviour", the board said.
Shipton along with fellow ex-police officer Bob Schollum and millionaire Peter McNamara was convicted of a brutal pack rape of a woman in Mt Maunganui in 1989. He has served three years of a 8-1/2 year sentence.
The board has denied Schollum parole but McNamara was released in January.
Today the board ordered a new psychological report on Shipton and delayed its decision on him until September.
"It is our opinion that restorative justice may not be out of question," the board said.
Shipton has previously told a psychologist he had a bad jury and a biased judge. The psychologist reported that Shipton has a strong sense of sexual entitlement.
Shipton has since spoken with emotion to a Parole Board hearing. He became eligible for parole on May 5.
While he continued to deny aspects of the crime, the board said he had moved his thinking "quite considerably".
"He said he was sorry for what the victim went through and later went further and said that he had ruined her life," the board said.
He acknowledged he should not have put her in that position and should not have taken his colleague Schollum along with him.
The board must consider if Shipton was a risk to the community.
He has behaved well during a difficult sentence, the board said.
Shipton's wife is supportive but he will not live with her if he is released.
The victim, who has permanent name suppression, sees him as a risk to the community.
TV3 said the victim was gutted to learn of Shipton's changed attitude in a report.
"It means absolutely nothing to me until he says it to my face," she said.
