Victim welcomes plan for high-risk crims

John Wharemako Gillies. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A former police officer left paralysed when a repeat offender stabbed him is applauding the Government's plan to make it possible to hold high-risk criminals in prison for longer than their sentences.

The Government has proposed a policy that would allow the High Court to issue "civil detention'' orders to the worst sexual and violent offenders deemed to be at imminent risk of re-offending.

Nigel Hendrikse was left paralysed after John Gillies, who had 106 prior convictions, stabbed him with a screwdriver 19 years ago.

"He doesn't care about anyone else, he just wants to carry on doing what he wants to do. He doesn't want to follow any instructions and I think he's had so many chances it's laughable,'' Mr Hendrikse told Radio New Zealand.

"He's got 106 convictions. People say a good criminal might only get caught 5 percent of the time so if he's a good criminal, a clever criminal, that means he's committed maybe 2000 offences so we're sick of him.''

Mr Hendrikse said he supported the Government's plan because he was "completely certain'' Gillies had no desire to be a "normal guy''.

The proposal was sparked in part due to the pending release of repeat sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson, dubbed the Beast of Blenheim, who was jailed in 1996 for offences spanning 25 years, including rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, wilfully ill-treating a child and bestiality.

The former detective who led the investigation into Wilson, Colin Mckay, also supported the move.

He told Radio NZ: "I think the Minister of Justice (Judith Collins) has made it very clear that it only relates to a very small minority of people ... and I think that the Wilson case (and) the Gillies case are perfect examples of why this legislation is very required.''

The Green Party said the proposal was unconstitutional and would breach the rights of people who have served the time for their crime.