{"id":629505,"date":"2026-10-13T17:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/629505\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T17:16:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:16:17","slug":"sunlive-gang-leader-serving-life-for-murder-denied-parole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/629505\/","title":{"rendered":"SunLive – Gang leader serving life for murder denied parole"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A former gang leader serving a life sentence for the murder of his ex-girlfriend has been declined parole.<\/p>\n


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The Parole Board and his lawyers agree that \u201cfurther work\u201d is needed \u2013 including a pending psychological report.<\/p>\n


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James Henry Wilson \u2013 former president of the Filthy Few motorcycle gang \u2013 murdered Jo-Anne van Duyvenbooden at her Welcome Bay home in Tauranga in 1999.<\/p>\n


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He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000 for the murder, as well as a concurrent sentence of three years for obstructing the course of justice, and five years for manufacturing methamphetamine.<\/p>\n


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Wilson was acquitted by the Supreme Court in July this year over the high-profile 1987 murder of Red Fox Tavern publican Chris Bush, alongside Mark Hoggart.<\/p>\n


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Wilson appeared before the Parole Board in Christchurch last month, after his acquittal of the Red Fox Tavern murder, and a decision has now been released to RNZ.<\/p>\n


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Parole Board panel convenor Neville Trendle wrote in the board\u2019s decision: \u201cCounsel did not seek Mr Wilson\u2019s release from prison as it is common ground further work is required before the board could be satisfied that his release would not pose an undue risk to the safety of the community.\u201d<\/p>\n


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The decision noted that it had been 10 years since a full psychological assessment had been done for Wilson, and the board needed to consider that information, as well as advice on issues relating to risk and any outstanding rehabilitation steps.<\/p>\n


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Wilson is due to appear before the Parole Board in late November, once the psychological assessment report and parole assessment report become available.<\/p>\n


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The decision said there were no concerns with Wilson\u2019s conduct or compliance, and that he had been very active in the community garden.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

It said he now held a minimum security classification, with two minor misconducts \u2013 the most recent within the past year.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Wilson completed the Special Treatment Unit Programme for Violent Offending in 2014, and the Drug Treatment Programme the following year.<\/p>\n


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The Parole Board said it had met members of van Duyvenbooden\u2019s family before the hearing, and that they remained deeply affected by his offending.<\/p>\n


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\u201cThey made it clear that on release from prison he should not be permitted to enter the Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas. Mr Wilson is aware of his victims\u2019 views.\u201d<\/p>\n


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Meanwhile, Wilson and Hoggart are seeking costs from the Crown after their acquittal over Red Fox Tavern murder.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

At an administrative hearing at the High Court at Auckland last month, Wilson\u2019s lawyer Christopher Stevenson, KC told Justice Mathew Downs that the Crown should have but failed to disclose material relating to the credibility of \u201cG\u201d who was originally set to be a prosecution witness, but did not give evidence at the trial.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Quentin Duff, the lawyer for Hoggart, told Justice Downs that Hoggart\u2019s cost-seeking case relied on Wilson\u2019s arguments.<\/p>\n


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The Crown lawyer contested Stevenson\u2019s argument of a procedural failure by the Crown.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0This story was first published on rnz.co.nz<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"RNZ<\/p>\n

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