Killer boasted of gruesome fantasies

Malcolm Chaston has admitted murdering Christchurch mother Vanessa Pickering (right). Photo / Supplied

Prison officers warned that a violent sex offender would commit further heinous crimes before he went on to kill, saying the man spoke openly while behind bars of wanting to hurt women and "become famous".

Former Fourth Reich skinhead gang member Malcolm George Chaston, 41, has admitted murdering Christchurch mother Vanessa Pickering a year ago. He also admitted sexual violation of a second person.

The fact of those crimes can only be published after Chaston yesterday pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit sexual violation against a third victim, rather than go on with a trial.

Chaston was on bail when the recent attacks occurred.

He has a history of violent and sexual offending going back at least 22 years. While he was in jail, several prison officers were so worried about Chaston's risk of further crimes that they wrote emails which were sent on to authorities and politicians.

"It really turns my stomach to think that [the killing] was preventable," said Miss Pickering's mother, Rachel Kitson.

In one email, sent by a prison officer to the Sensible Sentencing Trust (SST) in October, 2007 - a few months before Chaston's automatic release date - the officer warned that Chaston was a "very dangerous man indeed".

"I know some poor female ... sleeping at this moment will at some time ... be confronted by this monster," the officer wrote.

"I have come across two or three prisoners who have shared a cell with this man and all have told me the same thing. He has told them that when he gets out he is going to commit some atrocities against women and become famous.

"I know this man and feel he's more than capable of doing unspeakable things to women. He knows how easy it is in prison and fits in really well - so well that when he gets out he will do anything to get back in."

Another officer's emails in 2007 warned: "Malcolm Chaston will be released early next year, he is bragging to everyone that he is going to rape and murder 'some shiela (sic)' so he can make a big name for himself and come back to prison as top dog".

"He loves prison, he fits in well and will definitely come back but not until some poor woman gets murdered. Who will be responsible when he does this?"

Ms Kitson said there was no good reason to have let Chaston out.

"He's just evil to the core. I just don't want any other family to go through what we have been through, but I know there will be heaps more."

SST spokesman Garth McVicar told the Herald he sent the concerned emails on to Government ministers. The standard response was that Chaston had to be released by law.

"If that's the best we can do, it shows what a crock and how ridiculous our law and order system is," he said.

"I think [Miss Pickering's death] should be the catalyst for change now."

Ms Kitson said she still wanted a chance to speak to Chaston.

"Just to know why. That's all I really want to know, is why?"

The Crown will seek an open-ended sentence of preventive detention for Chaston when he is due to be sentenced on April 18.

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

Jan 1989 - Malcolm George Chaston rapes a woman at knifepoint in a three and a half hour ordeal, after the woman picked him up when he was hitch-hiking. He is jailed for eight years.

Oct 1999 - Chaston is sentenced to 18 months in jail for unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of explosives and for receiving stolen goods of which one item was a shotgun.

Nov 2002 - Chaston is found guilty of bashing, choking, and sexually violating a woman he knew. He is later jailed for six years.

Feb 2010 - Chaston murders Christchurch woman Vanessa Pickering.

Feb 2011 - Chaston admits assault with intent to commit sexual violation against another woman.