Murderer on Tinder: Parole Board says 'careful supervision' of Robert Stanley Lyon needed

Robert Lyon was a teenager when he murdered a Milton woolhandler. Photo / ODT

A Milton murderer has been on Tinder while on release and needs "careful supervision", the Parole Board says.

Robert Stanley Lyon (38) was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 years in 2002 over the murder of 29-year-old woolhandler Jodie Kiri Louise Browne.

He tried to cover up his crime through arson.

Lyon was released in September last year to live in Palmerston North and the Parole Board at a progress hearing last week heard his conduct since had been "exemplary".

"He has complied with his curfew; he has had no positive test for alcohol and drugs. He completed an alcohol and drug assessment, but no programme was required," board chairman Sir Ron Young said.

"He is hopefully going to start further one-on-one counselling with a psychologist shortly."

However, Sir Ron revealed Lyon was using a dating app, which would need to be closely monitored.

"One issue where the Parole Board wishes to keep a very close eye on, as no doubt will Community Probation, is Mr Lyon's contact with females," he said.

"He is on Tinder and he has had coffee with a young woman. There will need to be careful supervision of Mr Lyon's future relationships."

While serving his lengthy stint behind bars, Lyon had studied extensively and was pursuing a PhD.

The board heard he was seeing his academic supervisor and planned to begin studying shortly.

Meanwhile, he had struggled to find employment but had been working as a volunteer.

"Mr Lyon has done very well on parole," Sir Ron said.

The murderer would remain on a GPS tracker and was still subject to a range of restrictive conditions which included a ban from entering the South Island.

Lyon will see the Parole Board for another progress meeting in July.