A serial sex offender who snatched a 3-year-old boy from his bedroom and then beat, raped and abandoned him in a Hastings orchard has been paroled without the victim's family being told.
The child's mother was stunned to find Lance Richard Harbour, 42, had started five years of parole in April 2001 for the 1993 attack. She warned people to be careful around Harbour.
Harbour had been convicted of indecent assault on two elderly Hawkes Bay women and of sexual attacks in Wainuiomata and the Hutt Valley.
The Parole Board, police and Victim Support all expressed regret at the failure to notify the family of Harbour's release.
The family were not enrolled on the victim notification register, which would have allowed it to make submissions to the Parole Board, to attend Harbour's parole hearing and to be warned of his release.
At the time of Harbour's conviction, none of the departments was legally required to ensure the family were registered.
The mother, still living in Flaxmere, did not even know the register existed.
It is understood that Harbour is living in Auckland. The Parole Board declined to confirm that or to reveal any conditions attached to his release. It also refused to reveal if he had completed any rehabilitation programmes in prison.
Victim Support chief executive Stephen Caldwell said a law change last year made it the responsibility of police to inform victims of the register.
"It's not too late for people to register," he said. "I urge them to do so." NZPA
Family not told man on parole
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.