Notorious tourist murderer let out of prison

David Tamihere was convicted of the murders of Urban Hoglin and Heidi Paakkonen. Photo / NZ Herald

Convicted double-murderer David Tamihere has had his first proper taste of freedom in 21 years.

The notorious killer was let out on a supervised visit to his Auckland family home as part of his release plan from prison.

He is believed to have spent the day with his partner Kristine and two adult sons Jon and Blair before being returned to Waikato's Springhill Prison.

Tamihere, who is in his mid-50s, was convicted of the murders of Swedish tourists Urban Hoglin and Heidi Paakkonen in 1990.

The Herald on Sunday has been told he is suffering from arthritis but has been a model prisoner.

Tamihere has always denied murdering the young Swedish couple in the Coromandel in the late 1980s, in what became one of the country's most sensational murder cases.

His claims of innocence are cited as a reason why Tamihere has been consistently rejected for parole despite becoming eligible a decade ago.

Tamihere has only been allowed out twice before - in 1992 and then 1999 for the funerals of his parents.

His brother and former cabinet minister John Tamihere said the family could not comment on the visit.

But the Parole Board lashed Department of Corrections for its failure to follow through on a series of home leaves planned for Tamihere.

In its report, the board said: "In spite of the board going to a great deal of trouble to set out a course for the future which involves a series of home leaves, we are told today that nothing has happened.

"Indeed, we are told that one home leave which was planned was cancelled just two days before it was due to take place. We are unable to understand that."

Among those hearing the application were parole board chair Judge David Carruthers, Judge John Macdonald and forensic psychiatrist Dr Jeremy Skipworth.

In its finding, the board said that Tamihere was in the "reintegrative phase" of his sentence.

"It is essential that he is prepared for release in a sensible, positive and safe way," the parole board report said.

A response to an Official Information Act to the Department of Corrections revealed David Tamihere had "a successful home leave earlier this year".

Prison services executive Kelley Reeve said Tamihere was a "high-profile prisoner ... of interest to the public" but his privacy outweighed the public right to know about his release plans.

She said the future home-leave plans for Tamihere and his support network needed to be protected from public scrutiny.

While refusing to speak specifically about the earlier cancelled leave, Reeve said in a letter that the prison service "needs to review all risk factors" when assessing temporary leave.

Tamihere has served most of his time in Auckland Prison at Paremoremo.