Press Release:

Wanganui Council Seeks to Avoid Court Action

Today the Wanganui Council is considering whether to reverse their decision to shun and trespass Stewart Murray Wilson.

This move has been prompted by the Howard Leagues resolution to take the Wanganui Council to court over the matter. If the Council does not reverse this decision, the Howard League will immediately issue proceedings.

“In a nutshell, the Wanganui Council has acted extremely poorly around this whole matter. They have not acted in the best interests of New Zealand nor have they acted legally. Today’s vote is a chance for them to correct that,” said Howard League spokesperson Jarrod Gilbert.

The Department of Corrections and the Parole Board made the best decisions they could around Stewart Murray Wilson, including perhaps the most restrictive conditions ever imposed in New Zealand.

“The fact that the Wanganui Council thought they knew better, and chose to adopt a “not in our backyard” approach was in nobody’s interest and only served to create unnecessary community hysteria,” said Dr Gilbert.

Howard League for Penal Reform barrister Steven Rollo said the trespass notices would not have been valid for a number of reasons including a lack of justification, which is essentially the advice that the council received.

“The council cannot lawfully try to exclude someone from their community and run them out of town, which is what their resolution to shun and trespass Wilson was attempting to do,” said Rollo.

ENDS

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