Michael Bradley

Convicted murderer Dennis Richard Luke is getting out of jail on parole after serving 20 years of a life sentence for the death of police witness Christopher Crean.

A man who has spent more than 20 years in prison for two murders is at high risk of reoffending, his parole report says. 

In early July, Denis Richard Luke will be released from prison after serving two decades of a life sentence following the murder of New Plymouth man Christopher Crean, who was shot to death in his Marfell home in 1996.

The Parole Board put out its written decision about Luke's release on Tuesday.

In it, the board detailed the steps Luke had taken to be rehabilitated and prepare for his release, as well as a list of 11 special conditions he must stick to for five years after he gets out of prison. 

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These included undergoing a psychological assessment and counselling, being monitored by GPS, not taking drugs or drinking alcohol and to not change addresses, leave his house between 10pm and 6am, enter Taranaki, change jobs, have contact with his victims or communicate with Black Power members without approval from his probation officer.

The board's view was that while Luke's overall risk of reoffending was high, they were satisfied it could be mitigated and managed with the conditions imposed on him.

There were also a number of positive factors noted in the report, including that Luke had used his time in prison to complete rehabilitation programmes, undergo psychological treatment and live in self-care units. 

He had been well-behaved in prison and had held a minimum security classification for the last six years, they said.

Since his last parole hearing in 2016, Luke had enjoyed a number of temporary releases and visits in the community which had been positive experiences for all involved, the board said. 

They also said he appears to have some good relationships with people outside of prison and wants to work on his fitness and teach te reo and kapa haka when he gets out.

He also wants to get to know his mokopuna, but the parole board said he accepted those relationships within Crean's whānau had been irreparably broken.

"He is also aware of the other tragedies the whānau have suffered and is obviously remorseful," the report said. 

Luke is the third of four men convicted of the gang-related crime to be released since 2015.

Crean was due to give evidence against the Black Power in connection with an assault he witnessed between them and a rival gang.

The man who ordered the hit, Brownie Mane, was released on parole in July 2015 and another convicted of the murder, Symon Manihera, followed in 2016.

Mane, Manihera, Luke and fellow co-offender Robert Maru were sentenced to life in prison in 1997 for Crean's murder. They were members of the Black Power at the time.

Luke's participation in Crean's killing occurred while he was on parole for another murder he committed at the age of 16 in Wellington in 1975.  

Maru, the last of the group to be released, will be back before the Parole Board later this year.

 - Taranaki Daily News