The Star: March 28, 2019

news online at www.star.kiwi
Sentence could be unprecedented
• By Sophie Cornish
AN UNPRECEDENTED
decision could be made today,
which would see a doublemurderer
and rapist locked up
for life without parole.
Paul Russell Wilson, 54, will
be sentenced in the High Court
at Christchurch this morning,
for the brutal murder of Nicole
Tuxford, in her Merivale home
in April last
year.
Wilson
murdered
and raped
Kimberly
Schroder, 21,
in a similar
way on the
Nicole Tuxford West Coast in
1994.
The Crown is seeking a sentence
of life imprisonment without
parole for Miss Tuxford’s
murder and rape. If the sentence
is handed out, it would be the
first time in New Zealand’s history.
Wilson previously pleaded
guilty to Miss Tuxford’s rape and
murder.
Sensible Sentencing Trust
spokeswoman Jess McVicar said
the sentence would be “completely
appropriate” for Wilson.
“This is the time for the justice
system to show just how invested
they really are in caring for our
victims and the public’s safety.”
Wilson was jailed in 1995
after he was sentenced to life
imprisonment with no parole
for 15 years for the murder of
Ms Schroder, which was then
reduced to 13 years on appeal.
Ms Shroder’s family wrote to
the Parole Board multiple times,
asking it not to release Wilson.
He was granted parole on the
fifth time of applying in December
2010 and was deemed to have
a “low risk” of reoffending.
He was released in January
2011.
South Island SSGT victim advocate
Jayne Walker has worked
closely with Miss Tuxford’s family,
who she said are “absolutely
pushing” for the sentence.
“They can’t understand why
he was released in the first place.
This was so preventable. Life
means life . . . they have so much
frustration and anger. The grief
for them just goes on and on.
Constantly questioning over and
over in their head, how could
this happen?”
An independent review into
the Parole Board’s decision to
release Wilson is currently under
way.
Miss McVicar said the
Sentencing Act states the court
must sentence offenders such
DECISION:
Paul Russell
Wilson will
be sentenced
today for the
murder and
rape of Nicole
Tuxford in
April last year.
as Wilson to life without parole
unless the court is satisfied that
given the circumstances of the
offence and the offender, it
would be manifestly unjust to
do so.
She said Miss Tuxford’s death
could have been avoided “if the
Parole Board had listened to
the concerns of Ms Schroder’s
family.”
“But they were ignored because
of our justice system and the so
called ‘expert’ opinions,” said
Miss McVicar.
If the sentence is not given,
the trust plans to appeal the
decision.
The Star Thursday March 28 2019
NEWS 7
Mini touch
wall brought
out at library
book sale
• By Julia Evans
THE MINI version of the
controversial $1.24 million central
library touch wall has been
debuted.
The portable screen was rolled
out for the first time at the city
council library book sale over
the weekend. The 190cm screen
replicates the 7m Discovery Wall
at Turanga, which allows users to
swipe through photos, videos and
information. Its cost was included
in the $1.24 million touch wall.
A city council spokesperson
said more than 6000 people
attended the book sale. “Approximately
48,000 items were sold.”
The spokesperson said about
$65,000 was raised, but the final
figure is yet to be confirmed.
The wall created a stir last year
when the council was forced to release
its cost by the Ombudsman
and attorney-general.
The Taxpayers’ Union originally
requested the cost of the touch
wall, but was denied by the city
council. It then complained to
the Ombudsman. The wall was
provided by Wellington-based
Gibson Group, which did not
want the cost revealed because it
could “prejudice its commercial
position.”
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