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The occupants of an Auckland address where convicted rapist Hiro Joe stayed overnight on Wednesday had no idea he was on the run from police.
Acting Sergeant Steve McCormick said today the 24-year-old fugitive left the address yesterday morning before police acting on a tip off arrived there.
Joe fled to Auckland from Porirua after being recalled to prison on January 15 following his re-arrest in December on charges of kidnapping and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
Mr McCormick today would not comment on the relationship between Joe and the residents of the Auckland address.
"Apparently they had no idea he was wanted at that stage," he said.
Police couldn't discount the possibility that Joe posed a risk to the public, because of his history of violence.
Area Commander John Spence told Radio New Zealand today police believed Joe would head south again toward Porirua, where most of his family and friends were.
Anybody who saw the 1.8m tall, solidly built Pacific Islander should not approach him, but call police immediately, Mr Spence said.
Parole
Hiro Joe was granted parole despite being considered a "high risk of violent offending and a medium-high risk of sexual offending" at his latest psychological assessment.
Porirua police yesterday continued their search for the 24-year-old, who has been on the run since being recalled to prison on January 15.
He is facing kidnapping and theft charges and failed to appear in court on January 30.
He is not considered to be a dangerous threat, but is of concern given his previous convictions, said Acting Sergeant Steve McCormick.
Joe was sentenced to six years' jail for raping and sodomising a 15-year-old girl in 2002.
The decision to parole him has echoes of the Graeme Burton saga and has outraged the Sensible Sentencing Trust, which claims it is further evidence of a need to abolish parole for violent and recidivist offenders.
At the time of his parole, Joe had served more than two years of his sentence.
The Parole Board's decision says: "According to his latest psychological assessment, he is assessed as being at high risk of violent offending and a medium-high risk of sexual offending, but he has successfully completed Kia Marama and his support group community meeting."
Kia Marama, meaning "let there be light and insight", is a highly regarded voluntary programme for male prisoners who are nearing the end of a sentence for sexual offences against children.
It consists of group meetings for three hours a day, three days a week and looks at issues including understanding their offending and its effects on victims.
Joe has family in the Porirua and Auckland regions.
- additional reporting NZPA
