High-risk crim returns to scene of his crime

Ronald Van Der Plaat will be released to his Te Atatu home next week, prompting neighbourhood meetings. Photo / File

An 82-year-old man convicted of the "bizarre and depraved" sexual abuse of his daughter is returning to the house in Te Atatu where the crimes were committed.

Ronald Van Der Plaat will be released to his Te Atatu home next week, prompting neighbourhood meetings.

Corrections has placed an "extensive" range of 21 conditions on Van Der Plaat's release - and has made the extraordinary step of applying to the High Court for an extended supervision order to last for up to 10 years.

Corrections staff recently met local residents, who are facing Van Der Plaat's return to their street for a second time.

He was sentenced in 2000 and given parole in 2010, when neighbours protested about his release. Van Der Plaat violated parole conditions - he was recorded on CCTV at Auckland Museum holding a 4-year-old girl's hand - in 2012, and was sent back to jail.

The neighbourhood meetings were staged by Rachel Felton, who is also chairwoman of the board of trustees at the nearby Peninsula Primary School. Corrections said Van Der Plaat would have nine standard and 12 special parole conditions for a period of six months.

"They include attending and completing programmes, treatment and counselling as directed; not undertaking culture, craft or creative programmes without approval; not associating with any person under the age of 16 unless under the direct supervision of an approved adult; not possessing any device capable of taking photos or recording images; and GPS electronic monitoring."

Van Der Plaat would be visited frequently by probation staff and monitored by GPS 24 hours a day.

"Mr Van Der Plaat will also be subject to ongoing assessment in order to identify any likelihood of further offending and risk of harm to others."

A parole board hearing in February rejected his appeal for an early release. By law, he must be returned to the community on his statutory release date of May 11.

The board was told he will be released into the care of a woman "to ensure that he has sufficient care".

Community Probation Services considered that Van Der Plaat "remains an undue risk to community safety". His most recent psychological assessment, in September 2014, recorded his "risk of reoffending as medium high."