Convicted killer launches legal action over lack of therapy

John Frederick Ericson has launched legal action against the Department of Corrections. Photo / Supplied

A convicted killer has launched legal action against the Department of Corrections after claims he can't get the behind-bars counselling needed to get released back into the community.

John Frederick Ericson is serving a life sentence for murdering his wife Sandra in July 1999 by striking her in the back of the head with a tomahawk 22 times while she slept.

He called police after the attack and admitted killing his wife but later said he had no memory of it.

Today, he appeared at the High Court in Christchurch via audio-visual link to try and get an order against the chief executive of the Department of Corrections.

Ericson is asking for home leave, day paroles, and counselling.

He claimed that he hasn't been able to get the one-on-one counselling and treatment required.

"I can't meet the Parole Board's expectations. That's why we are here," he told Justice Rachel Dunningham.

"I'd be surprised to get a one-on-one counselling session within the next two years.

"I am not getting anything. They keep assessing me for the wrong courses."

Ericson claimed that in the prison unit he shares with others serving life sentences, many complain that they are not getting the counselling or courses they require.

"The system is geared for short-term sentences," he said.

"If they don't give us the courses, we can't meet Parole Board expectations and so we don't get released."

Inmates in his unit claim not to have seen a counsellor in four years, Ericson told the court.

He says he has been forced into taking the court action to try and get Corrections to provide him with what he requires to satisfy the Parole Board he is safe to be released into the community.

Lawyer for Corrections, Kristina Muller said she could not respond to Ericson's allegations today as they have not been filed as evidence.

She said Ericson was on a waiting list for counselling and was "likely" to receive treatment later this year.

Justice Dunningham reserved her decision.

Ericson was denied parole earlier this year. He has previously challenged Parole Board decisions, and in 2007, he spent 26 hours on the run after escaping from a Wellington Prison work party.

In the Parole Board's decision earlier this month, it raised concerns that Ericson continues to claim he has no memory of killing his wife.

"He says he was suffering from the side effects of medication," the Parole Board noted.

He told them he took a cocktail of drugs "innocently" and woke up some six-and-a-half hours later "with his wife dead and with no memory of how that had occurred".

"The problem we have with that arises from various earlier material including a forensic report available to the court in which Mr Ericson is quoted in some detail about aspects of the murder and his involvement in it," the Parole Board said.

Ericson was denied parole, with the board saying it required more assurances over his level of risk and at his next appearance, they would require "firmer release proposals than are on the table at the moment".