Goff signals law changes after paedophile reoffends

11.45am

Justice Minister Phil Goff is to introduce legislation allowing up to 10 years' supervision of child sex offenders regarded as high risk, he said today.

The legislation would apply to offenders such as Lloyd Alexander McIntosh, who yesterday pleaded guilty in Palmerston North District Court to a charge of assault.

He had attacked an intellectually handicapped woman in his bedroom.

McIntosh, 30, was released from Manawatu Prison in June amid fears he would reoffend, after serving a full prison term on child sex offences.

McIntosh also faced one charge of violating his prison release conditions by having telephone contact with children under the age of 16 while unsupervised.

The assault happened while his State-funded minder waited outside the door because he felt he could not enter without McIntosh's consent.

The Corrections Department has launched an inquiry into the conduct of the supervisor.

McIntosh could not have been held in prison any longer than he was but he was subject to a further six months' supervision under law changes passed last year, Mr Goff said.

Under those changes, any repeat of his original offences would result in preventive detention -- effectively a life sentence, Mr Goff said.

"It is costing the taxpayer a fortune because we know this guy is high risk," Mr Goff said.

"If there was a way of having him in prison permanently we would, but the law of the land is that when you've served your sentence that's the end of the sentence, you must be released.

"I will within about a fortnight be introducing new legislation that will give the courts and Corrections (Department) the ability to exercise supervision for up to 10 years over people who have been convicted of child sex offending and who are regarded as being at a high risk."

Opposition MPs yesterday hit out at McIntosh being left alone with the woman.

McIntosh had met the woman through one of his special needs classmates.

On September 14, he arranged for his supervisor to drive him to the woman's home under the pretext that he was arranging for her to clean for him.

He had told his supervisor the woman was a cleaner and the pair drove the woman back to McIntosh's home.

The woman cleaned the kitchen before McIntosh took her into his bedroom. Once there, he kissed the woman and pushed her to the bed. He then straddled her, pinning her hands above her head.

The supervisor was standing outside the bedroom door as the attack took place, as he did not believe he could enter the room without McIntosh's consent, the court was told.

Instead, the supervisor made noises outside the bedroom door and through the window in an effort to distract McIntosh.

The woman was held in the room for about 20 minutes, escaping when McIntosh was distracted by a phone call. He had told her not to tell anyone or he would get in trouble with his supervisor.

The supervisor, who later drove the woman home, noticed she was very quiet and got out of the car without saying goodbye. McIntosh later told the woman's flatmate he had nearly raped her.

Judge Grant Fraser remanded McIntosh in custody for sentencing on December 4.

Results of the Corrections investigation were expected to be released next month. Correction Minister Paul Swain has indicated the report would be made public.

A decade-old court order prevents the media from giving details of McIntosh's previous imprisonment.

His long history of sexual offending, stretching back to 1989, attracted national attention.

Psychiatric nurse Neil Pugmire -- who blew the whistle on sex offender Barry Ryder -- has said he wished he had spoken out about McIntosh as well.

Mr Goff said the system had worked because McIntosh had not offended against a child.

"It's not against the conditions of his supervision that he has an adult woman with him, albeit the fact that she's intellectually handicapped," he told the Holmes Show.

"The fact is, when he offended, and we're fortunate that it was not at the most serious end of offending, he was caught, he was convicted, he will be sentenced."

However, Highbury Focus Group chairman Ian Cruden said the case should have been handled differently.

"Whoever is responsible there should really be bought to task over it," he told National Radio.

"They (officials) gave absolute assurances to our community that there would be no repeat that he would be under strict supervision. I was very disappointed to hear that here he is back at his old tricks again."

Central police commander, Superintendent Mark Lamas said police had done what they could and had worked closely with probation services.

"I'm satisfied with the actions we have taken," he told National Radio.

"There was never going to be any guarantee, there never could be, but what the agencies will do, I'm sure, is debrief to see where we might have taken other decisions."

- NZPA