FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Child abduction debacle blamed on Justice Coalition

The Sensible Sentencing Trust says the unethical mind-set of many of the organisations involved in the recently formed Justice Coalition’ must accept responsibility for hard core recidivist criminals like Phillip Edwards being let loose on an unsuspecting community.

As Police hunt for Edwards who they say snatched a two-year old boy from a house in Panmure yesterday afternoon questions are being asked why an offender with such violent history was released.

Edwards who has a long list of previous violent offences including the manslaughter of David McNee in 2004 had already breached his release conditions.

Sensible Sentencing Spokesman, Garth McVicar says the criminal friendly mentality of many organisations involved in the Justice Coalition is largely responsible for the Phillip Edwards debacle.

McVicar said psychopaths such as Edwards could not be rehabilitated or ‘treated’ yet the system has been deliberately designed to ensure they are released.

“Many of the organisations involved in the Justice Coalition have been involved in promoting the legislation the Parole Board and Corrections Department are operating under.”

“In Edwards’s case the Parole Board expressed serious concerns about his release but their hands were basically tied by legislation that meant he had a finite sentence and must be released anyway.”

“The Board put 6 special conditions on this career criminal [Edwards] and even though he breached most of them he was still free and able to abduct the child.”

“I note the Justice Coalition put out a release on the 8th August hailing the formation of the inappropriately named organisation as an Important Moment in Criminal Justice History”.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1308/S00122/important-moment-in-criminal-justice-history.htm

McVicar said all the organisations involved in the Justice Coalition had been conspicuous by their silence on this issue.

“I would suggest that anyone who has promoted or supported policies that allow dangerous offenders like Edwards to be released should be hanging their heads in shame”.

“Surely the safety of the community must be of the utmost, paramount, consideration?”

“The safety of society, our women and children in particular, must come before the so called ‘rights’ of criminals like Phillip Edwards.”

“The Sensible Sentencing Trust is extending an open invite to members of the Justice Coalition to meet with us to discuss introducing legislation that would ensure recidivist offenders like Edwards are not released until deemed not to be ANY risk to society.”

“We believe the Public Protection Orders proposed by Justice Minister Judith Collins would prevent a recurrence of these debacles.”

“I realise such legislation is distasteful to the Justice Coalition but If we can save just one child then keeping these recidivist career criminals locked up has got to be a good investment.”

ENDS

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