Lillies’ parole cut

Press, 29 March 1982, Page 6

Lillies’ parole cut

PA > Auckland John Frederick • Gillies, aged 48, one of two men convicted of the 1963 machine-gun murders in Bassett. Road, Auckland, has had his' recently awarded daytime parole revoked. The Cabinet approved six months of work:parole for Gillies earlier this year. Gillies was sentenced to life imprisonment 18 years ago. ■The Minister of Justice (Mr. McLay) said yesterday that the parole had been cancelled and that Gillies had been returned to full

prisoner status. Gillies had breached the conditions of parole but he (Mr McLay) would not give details. Prisoners on work parole lived in prison but worked in outside employment during the day. Such parole was usually a first step, towards ultimate release. If Gillies had performed favourably, another Cabinet decision would still have been required before his complete release, Gillies had been employed as a council labourer during his parole. Ronald John Jorgensen,

who was convicted with Gillies of the murder of one of two men who had been found dead in the Bassett Road house, was released on parole in 1974 but was recalled to prison by the Minister of Justice in 1976. Mr McLay said that Jorgensen had been convicted of “a particularly atrocious murder”.in 1964 and had then been convicted of a drugdealing offence two years after his release in 1974. Although Jorgensen has again been recommended for parole in recent years, the Cabinet has refused it.