Mark Lundy Photo: RNZ
- Parole Board says Mark Lundy is making good progress in the first few months of his release
- He's now allowed to speak to media but can't use social media
- No longer subject to night-time curfew
- He's gradually expanding social contacts
Convicted murderer Mark Lundy is expanding his social contacts, but isn't able to have his own social media accounts.
He is otherwise fully compliant with conditions imposed on his release from prison when parole was granted earlier this year, according to a monitoring report released today by the Parole Board.
The board has relaxed some of the conditions imposed on Lundy, taking away the night-time curfew he was subjected to as well as the order preventing him speaking to media.
The then-66-year-old was released from Tongariro Prison in May, having been granted parole following a hearing the previous month.
Lundy has always maintained his innocence despite twice being found guilty of killing his wife Christine and 7-year-old daughter Amber in their Palmerston North home in August 2000.
This was a stumbling block at previous parole hearings before this year.
Social circle gradually expanding
Lundy was seen by the Parole Board for a monitoring hearing in late October.
There, the board read a report from his probation officer. It said Lundy was still living at the property he was released to - the location is suppressed - and that he had continued support from family members.
The report said Lundy had complied fully, had provided one negative drug test - he can't use non-prescribed drugs or drink alcohol - and "is gradually expanding his social contacts".
The probation officer had checked Lundy's electronic devices and he was compliant with his social media ban.
"His probation officer reports no further treatment is required."
Curfew no longer needed
The board agreed with Lundy's lawyer Ella Burton that he no longer needed to face a 10pm to 6am curfew.
The social media ban was changed to make clear Lundy can't have a social media account nor post anything on social media.
Burton had asked for change.
"The reason for that has arisen due to Mr Lundy accessing or seeking information from various sources, but finding that it may involve information from a social media site, such as Facebook."
Burton also asked the board to consider whether his ban on giving media interviews was still needed.
"The board is cognisant of the expressed wishes of his victims that his conditions remain unchanged. This condition was imposed to prevent media contact upon his release," the board report said.
"While the media interest in Mr Lundy's progress in the community remains, the continued restriction on his ability to respond to any request can no longer be sustained. The condition will be discharged."
'Ticking along well'
Lundy's brother-in-law Dave Jones said the release had gone quite smoothly.
"He's doing fine. He's done everything that they've asked him to do and and he hasn't had any breaches. He's ticking along well," Jones said.
"The worst part is if anybody publishes a photo of him you see the odd sideways look. We want him to just become another face in the crowd."
Jones was pleased the Parole Board had clarified the release condition concerning social media, because it was hard to avoid clicking on to it sometimes even accidentally through sites such as Market Place.
Lundy was still electronically monitored and was a stickler for abiding by his conditions, Jones said.
Further hearing
The board found Lundy appeared to have made good progress, but decided to see him again in March for further monitoring.
He is now subject to 17 release conditions. They include a ban on entering Hastings, Manawatū, Rangitīkei and Nelson, and that he must inform probation as soon as possible should an intimate relationship begin, resume or end.
He is also unable to associate with victims of his offending unless with probation approval, nor access pornography or dating sites without approval.
Lundy must also make available to a probation officer any electronic device so it can be checked for compliance with his release conditions, and give passwords to these devices if asked.
He was convicted at a trial in 2002 and, after the Privy Council overturned his convictions, again at a 2015 retrial.
He was arrested in early 2001 and, apart from 18 months when he was on bail awaiting his retrial, was in custody until May.
Lundy was sentenced to a 20-year minimum term and was eligible for parole in 2022.
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