Woman awakes to convicted rapist in room

A Tauranga rapist who broke into a woman's home and attacked her while she was sleeping was discovered in another woman's bedroom less than two days after completing home detention.

A 21-year-old Tauranga woman awoke in her city home to find Josie Deon Palmer, 29, beside her bed, staring at her about 6.30am on April 14 - just two days after he had come off home detention.

He had served two-thirds of a 10-year sentence for rape.

Police and the Parole Board have said they were powerless to stop Palmer reoffending, but both victims and their families are angry nothing more could be done.

Both women feel that Palmer entered the property with intent to rape again - although police could only charge him with burglary.

Palmer has now been sent back to prison to continue serving his rape sentence.

A Parole Board spokeswoman confirmed that Palmer was released on home detention in January.

The final three months of an offender's custodial sentence is served on home detention as a stepping-stone from prison back into society.

Palmer was required to wear an electronic monitoring anklet until April 12 - but two days later he committed the burglary.

Palmer was on home detention because his offending occurred in 1999 before the Parole Act 2002 came into legislation, she said.

In April, Palmer entered the woman's second-storey unit after climbing up the outside of her house. He then went into her bedroom and crouched down to watch her sleep. The woman awoke and told him to leave. Palmer did so and drove away.

But he returned about 30 minutes later and was found climbing up the side of the home when the woman's uncle arrived home from a night shift.

Palmer left after a confrontation. However, the uncle took his car registration number and called police. Palmer was found later that day and has since pleaded guilty to burglary.

He was due to be sentenced in Tauranga District Court last week, but sentencing was postponed until August so psychiatric reports could be completed.

Palmer's 1999 rape victim is convinced he would have raped the second woman had he not been interrupted.

The Tauranga woman said she was stalked by Palmer for more than a year before he broke into her home as she slept and raped her in her bed.

The rape victim said she was "wild" Palmer had reoffended and that no one had told her he was out of prison when he was placed on home detention in January this year.

The 21-year-old in the latest case said she was now too terrified to sleep, forcing herself to stay awake for as long as possible.

"I just think what could have happened. If it wasn't for my uncle coming and getting his number plate they [the police] probably wouldn't have known who it was or even caught him," she said.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said he was not sure why the rape victim had not been placed on a victims' notification register, which would have seen her informed when Palmer was released. He said he was rectifying the matter.

Mr Turner said the register, which gave victims information such as when offenders were due for release, was an inconsistent process until changes were made to the Victim's Rights Act in 2002.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES