Jorgensen begins parole again

Press, 3 February 1983, Page 3

Jorgensen begins parole again

Ronald Jorgensen will drive himself back to Kaikoura today to begin his third time on parole since he was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1964.

. Jorgensen was released from Paparua Prison yesterday on strict terms set down by the Cabinet. They, include the requirement that he return within 24 hours of being freed to Kaikoura. where he was born • and where his father still lives.

On his first day at large yesterday Jorgensen had lunch with his lawyer, Mr David Fitzgibbon, at Noahs Hotel, and later stayed with friends. He avoided'journalists.

Mr Fitzgibbon said that for the moment Jorgensen wanted to stay out of the limelight and settle down. He did not have a job to go to, although he was keen to work, said Mr Fitzgibbon. Jorgensen was also keen to resume painting.

Jorgensen was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964. He and. an accomplice. John Frederick Gillies, were found guilty of the machine-gun murder of Kevin Speight in a Bassett Road house in Remuera, Auckland, in December. 1963.

Jorgensen was first released on parole in 1974. but within two years was in prison again after pleading guilty to selling cannabis to an undercover policeman. He was paroled again in May last year but was rearrested within a month on a charge of assault. A District Court jury acquitted him in October but he remained in prison until the Cabinet decided last month on the terms of his release. The conditions are substantially the same as those under which he was freed last year. He must live in Kaikoura unless the Secretary for. Justice allows, him to move.

A new condition is that he must not enter into any business without the permission of the Secretary for Justice. This may be related to the fact that a Kaikoura man last year said he was prepared to offer Jorgensen a share in a business when he was freed.