John Wharekura was only 16 when he knocked on the door of Tanya Burr's Rotorua flat asking for a pen and paper in 2002. When she turned to get it, he stabbed her to death with a carving knife. Last year he was freed from prison on parole. Journalist Kelly
Tanya Burr's murderer John Wharekura recalled to prison
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John Wharekura in court in 2003. Photo / File
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He was released from prison in September last year having served 16 years of his life sentence with a non-parole period of 14 years.
The Department of Corrections has confirmed to the Rotorua Daily Post Wharekura was deemed an "undue risk to the community" and was sent back to prison last week. The Department of Corrections couldn't be specific about why Wharekura was deemed a risk to the public but when asked if he had been charged by police or whether it was Corrections-related, a spokesman said it was an assessment by Corrections staff.
"Public safety is our top priority and we applied to the New Zealand Parole Board to have this person recalled to prison on the grounds that he poses an undue risk to the safety of the community," the Corrections spokesman said in a statement.
"He was returned to custody (on December 10), and the board will determine whether a final recall is granted."
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A New Zealand Parole Board spokesman said the board granted an interim recall order on Monday December 9 following an application by the Department of Corrections.
A hearing will be held within a month to determine whether the interim recall order is made final, meaning the offender would continue serving his sentence in prison.
In 2002, Wharekura was suffering from an undiagnosed psychosis.
He knocked on the door of Burr's Hilda St flat and asked her for a piece of paper and pen, supposedly to write a note for a friend in a neighbouring flat.
When the 21-year-old turned to get it, he went inside and stabbed her 15 times.
A Parole Board decision last year, released upon request by the Rotorua Daily Post, said it was satisfied Wharekura's release would not pose an undue risk to the safety of the community.
The board said it also accepted Wharekura's assurance that maintaining his medication regime would be his priority.
Among his release conditions were that he not enter Rotorua or Palmerston North, where Burr's family lived. He was also under strict orders not to possess or consume alcohol, controlled drugs or psychoactive substances.
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He was subject to the statutory drug and alcohol testing regime for five years and was to undergo random drug or alcohol testing.
The board's decision suppressed where he would live but said it was with a person Wharekura respected.
Burr's mother, Val Burr from Palmerston North, told the Rotorua Daily Post she had been dreading Wharekura's release and she had mixed feelings about his recall.
"It's a shock having to think about Wharekura again, when he was supposed to be out of the picture and behaving himself ... I guess it doesn't surprise me that things could go amiss, but at least it looks like he hasn't harmed anyone else - yet."
Burr said perhaps those around him recently had now seen the side of him her daughter met.
"I'm glad that we were notified that he was being sent back to prison - for a while anyway - but it was a hell of a shock when the implications started to materialise. Especially as we don't know what the cause for the recall is."
Burr said the family had spent the last 15 months trying to forget that he was free.
"I well realise that this is a 'forever' situation, but..."
She was not sure if she would be required at the next parole hearing.
"I'm glad he's off the streets and I hope the parole board is not so lenient this next time. It will be interesting to see."
