Paul Joseph Dally — the man who raped and murdered 13-year-old Karla Cardno in Lower Hutt in 1989 — has been denied parole once again, but his lawyer argues he is “almost ready for release”.
In a decision released today, the Parole Board remained concerned about the level of support available to Dally while he reintegrated, but work was underway to prepare him for that.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment on March 8, 1990, and for the past year had been held in a self-care unit at Auckland South Corrections Facility, with a minimum security classification.
When he appeared before the Parole Board in June 2024, it heard about his efforts to prepare for an eventual release — but, on that date, he did not seek parole
By now aged in his mid 60s, he was told to expect a very different world than the one he had known — one where people used cards rather than cash, and bought their food from modern supermarkets.
His lawyer, Emma Priest, submitted in April that, while her client was not seeking parole, he was “almost ready,” although he remained dependent on support from his case manager to prepare for reintegration.
At the time, the board found Dally’s safety plan inadequate.
He appeared before the board again in April, and according to the Parole Board decision released on Thursday, he had been engaging with a senior psychologist on understanding his risks, warning signs and coping strategies.
But the board denied him parole once again, largely due to issues around accommodation.
“A central issue that is still to be determined is Mr Dally’s accommodation arrangements when he returns to the community,” the decision reads.
The board had “considerable doubt” that the required level of support and oversight necessary in Dally’s case would be available.
He could appear before the Parole Board again in six months’ time, by October 31, which the board hoped would provide sufficient time to complete his work with the psychologist, and with his case manager in developing his release plan.
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