![\"Ashley](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4KQ8EN8_Stanley1_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nStanley Waipouri was beaten to death in a probable homophobic attack at his Rangit\u012bkei Street flat on 23 December 2006.
\nPhoto: SUPPLIED\n<\/p>\n
Teen murderer remains behind bars after parole hearing
\nAshley Arnopp said to be struggling with his attitude and relationships with others
\nParole Board says questions about grisly 2006 murder remain.<\/p>\n
Warning: This story contains details some readers may find upsetting.<\/p>\n
A man who has spent almost two decades in prison for a gruesome murder that was likely a homophobic attack is struggling with a poor attitude behind bars.<\/p>\n
Ashley Arnopp, along with Andre Gilling, beat Stanley Waipouri to death in his Palmerston North flat in December 2006.<\/p>\n
Arnopp was 19 at the time and Gilling 17.<\/p>\n
Arnopp was released from prison in June 2023, but was back behind bars six months later<\/a>.<\/p>\n “His relationship with Corrections fell apart and he used drugs,” said a Parole Board progress report, released to RNZ.<\/p>\n Arnopp last appeared before the board in November, but he did not apply for release.<\/p>\n He was on the waiting list for a prison programme – exact details of this were withheld from the report – and his prison security classification was low.<\/p>\n However, the board was told he was no longer in Whanganui Prison’s inner self-care unit and he continued to have “issues in his relationship with others”.<\/p>\n When board members discussed this with Arnopp he admitted to, in the past, being sensitive to criticism.<\/p>\n “He said that this had led to him getting upset, angry and yelling,” the report said.<\/p>\n “He knows what physical signs to look out for when this is building up. He said inner self care became a high-risk situation for him.”<\/p>\n The week before the parole hearing Arnopp had an altercation with another prisoner, which Arnopp said was a miscommunication involving banter.<\/p>\n “He said that the banter related to comments made about the other prisoner’s eating habits, which may have upset him.<\/p>\n “The other prisoner claims to have been intimidated…<\/p>\n “[Arnopp] accepted that his attitude has been poor lately, and that is something he wants to work on.”<\/p>\n Arnopp had a history of poor behaviour in prison. In 2011, he was convicted of assaulting a fellow inmate.<\/p>\n The board also discussed Waipouri’s murder.<\/p>\n “There do seem to be still elements of that offending that nobody seems to understand,” the board report said.<\/p>\n “This may be something that Mr Arnopp still needs to work on with a psychologist.”<\/p>\n Despite being told psychological work with Arnopp was considered finished, the board thought more would be useful, especially given he was considered high risk of reoffending.<\/p>\n After the November hearing it was likely Arnopp would apply to transfer prisons so he could be close to the property he would be released to if granted parole. A transfer would allow him to have guided releases in the meantime.<\/p>\n Arnopp would next meet with the Parole Board in November.<\/p>\n