Murderer returns to life in NZ

By LOUISA CLEAVE

John Tanner, convicted of the high-profile murder of Oxford University student Rachel McLean, has returned to New Zealand and is living in Wanganui.

Police sources confirmed Tanner had returned to New Zealand after serving a life sentence for the 1991 "savage" killing of Miss McLean.

The former Wanganui Collegiate student was studying at Nottingham University when he was convicted of the murder.

It is understood he arrived home in May or June after serving almost 12 years of his sentence.

A former school friend who saw Tanner last weekend said he was "good as gold" but would not comment further.

Tanner's father, Bill, could not be contacted yesterday and earlier this week hung up when asked about his son's whereabouts.

Tanner was in a relationship with Miss McLean when she disappeared from the Oxford railway station on April 15, 1991.

Tanner, 22 at the time, even appealed through the media for information about her disappearance, but the following month admitted he had strangled her.

Her body was found hidden under the floorboards of her Oxford flat.

During his trial in Birmingham's Crown Court, Tanner said Miss McLean had told him she wanted to end the relationship and said she had been unfaithful.

"I flew at her in a rage and proceeded to put my hands around her neck," Tanner told police.

"I think I must have lost control, because I have only a vague recollection of the time that elapsed afterwards. I am bewildered why I have done such a terrible thing to a person I love dearly."

The Herald has learned an English woman, Siobhan Howes, met Tanner while he was serving his sentence in HMP Gartree and later came to New Zealand to work at Wanganui Collegiate.

Ms Howes was reportedly studying for a masters degree in criminology at Loughborough University when she met Tanner in prison.

Friends noticed the striking similarity in looks between her and Ms McLean. The university told her to stop the prison visits or quit her course.

Wanganui Collegiate said Ms Howes left New Zealand 18 months ago and provided the Herald with a forwarding address, at Christ's Hospital, West Sussex.

But the school's administrator said she had never heard of Ms Howes.

Britain's Home Office would not comment on individual prisoners.

The Department of Corrections, responding to questions about whether Tanner had any parole conditions, said there was no legal basis to monitor or manage people who had served sentences overseas.

Peter Mildenhall, team leader policy and operations of the Community Probation Service, said such people could approach the service for support only on a voluntary basis.

"As a result the department does not keep any centralised or readily accessible records of such arrangements."