The Star: April 13, 2023
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Thursday <strong>April</strong> <strong>13</strong> <strong>2023</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong><br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
NEWS 7<br />
Louisa’s killer refused parole<br />
“Mr Holdem decided not to<br />
appear today. He indicated that<br />
he was concerned about the<br />
presence of the media,” said<br />
Young in a decision released to<br />
the Herald after it had been sent<br />
to the victims.<br />
“As chairperson I had considered<br />
an application by the media<br />
to be present at Mr Holdem’s<br />
hearing, but in my view, there<br />
were exceptional circumstances<br />
and I decided that the application<br />
should be refused.<br />
“Mr Holdem has been advised<br />
of my decision but apparently<br />
he still wishes to maintain his<br />
waiver.”<br />
Young said when Holdem<br />
was last seen in 2021 he agreed<br />
to repeat a child sex offender’s<br />
treatment programme with a<br />
view to beginning the reintegration<br />
process.<br />
However, that had not happened.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> psychological report<br />
provided to the board ahead of<br />
the March hearing noted that<br />
Mr Holdem said that he did not<br />
think he needed any further<br />
treatment and was not motivated<br />
to undertake the programme,”<br />
said Young.<br />
“He has little real empathy<br />
with the victims and had significant<br />
memory limitation.<br />
“He is assessed as being high<br />
KILLED: Louisa Damodran was kidnapped and murdered<br />
as she walked home from school in October 1986. Above –<br />
Louisa’s grave. PHOTOS: SIMON BAKER, NZ HERALD<br />
risk of sexual reoffending and<br />
medium risk of violence.<br />
“Really, since our last contact<br />
with Mr Holdem in November<br />
2021 no real progress had been<br />
made.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> board heard Holdem had<br />
told his case manager he wanted<br />
to reintegrate “now” and felt he<br />
had done enough in prison to<br />
warrant that.<br />
He had done the child sex offender<br />
treatment programme in<br />
1995 and in 1997 and claimed he<br />
had also completed “34 one-onone<br />
sessions with a psychologist”<br />
by 20<strong>13</strong>.<br />
“However, after further<br />
discussion, Mr Holdem told the<br />
case manager that he would be<br />
prepared to do the programme<br />
and so he is now identified to undertake<br />
the 2024 programme,”<br />
said Young.<br />
“And so, we are satisfied Mr<br />
Holdem remains an undue risk.”<br />
Harwood said she was glad<br />
to see him do another child sex<br />
offender treatment programme,<br />
but was not sure what difference<br />
it would make.<br />
Young said a registered victim<br />
of Holdem’s offending against<br />
Louisa also spoke to the board<br />
and firmly opposed his release.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> deep hurt and trauma<br />
the family suffered from Mr Holdem’s<br />
crime has never left them,”<br />
he said.<br />
“We will see him again in two<br />
years’ time, by the end of February<br />
2025, at which time he should<br />
have completed the programme<br />
and we can review whether any<br />
further rehabilitation might be<br />
required and what reintegration<br />
might be appropriate.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> board would need a full<br />
psychological report before that<br />
hearing.<br />
- NZ Herald<br />
HAVE YOUR SAY: Should<br />
Peter Joseph Holdem ever<br />
be released from prison?<br />
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