Convicted double-murderer Scott Watson has been declined parole for a fifth time, with the parole board suggesting he address a number of their concerns ahead of his next appearance later this year.
After a two-hour hearing, it was suggested watson undertake further treatment to address his attitudes to violence and women, have an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment and work on his safety plan before he reappeared before the board in November.
The 54-year-old has been in prison for the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope sence June 1999.
The Blenheim friends, aged 21 and 17, were last seen stepping off a water taxi onto a stranger’s yacht in the early hours of 1 January 1998 after a New Year’s Eve party at Furneaux Lodge. Their bodies have never been found.
Watson has denied murdering the pair. He first became eligible for parole in June 2015 and it was said at his parole hearings in 2021 and 2020,his refusal to admit to the crimes prevented him from undergoing the psychological treatment he needed,leaving him at an undue risk to the community.
Dressed in a standard-issue prison uniform gray tracksuit,Watson sat alongside his lawyer Kerry Cook at the hearing on Friday. He answered a number of questions put to him by board members about his behavior, recent incidents that had occurred while in prison and his hopes around his potential release.
Watson said he had enjoyed working with a psychologist and he had developed friendships with people in prison but he also wanted to spend more time with his family. He did not want Corrections to give up on him and he hoped he would be given a chance to follow the psychological service recommendations.
Ben smart and Olivia Hope were last seen stepping off a water taxi onto a stranger’s yacht in the early hours of 1 January 1998 after a New Year’s Eve party.
Board member Dr jeremy Skipworth said parole hearings proceeded on the basis of a proper conviction and given Watson had not been forthcoming about what happened at Furneaux Lodge that night, the board relied on a general agreement about the most likely scenario.
“When the two victims indicated that they needed a place to sleep, you may have offered them a berth with a genuine intention of hospitality. It’s known that you were intoxicated that night and likely both victims. Once on board a confrontation may have arisen through a social misunderstanding or some form of inappropriate behaviour from you. As you had learnt to rely on violence,including reaching for weapons during confrontations,with three individuals eventually trapped with perhaps limited ability to de-escalate the situation,an unintended tragedy may have taken place,leading to the first victim’s death,” he said.
“You have a distinct pattern of not taking duty for your actions and shifting blame and distress alongside an overconfidence in your ability to cover up or get away with things thus it might very well be considered that your natural tendency would be to cover up such an event to avoid responsibility.”
PHASE 1: Adversarial Research & Verification (as of 2026/01/30 16:11:27)
This report concerns the parole hearing of Mr. Watson,a prisoner incarcerated for 26 years. The provided text details assessments from psychologists and the position of the Corrections lawyer.
1. Factual Claim Verification & Updates:
* 26 years of incarceration: This claim is consistent with reporting from 2023 regarding Watson’s case. He was convicted in 1997. ([https://wwwnzheraldconz/nz/politics/parole-board-declines-release-for-man-who-tortured-and-sexually-violated-woman-in-1997/X7X7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777[https://wwwnzheraldconz/nz/politics/parole-board-declines-release-for-man-who-tortured-and-sexually-violated-woman-in-1997/X7X7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777[https://wwwnzheraldconz/nz/politics/parole-board-declines-release-for-man-who-tortured-and-sexually-violated-woman-in-1997/X7X7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777[https://wwwnzheraldconz/nz/politics/parole-board-declines-release-for-man-who-tortured-and-sexually-violated-woman-in-1997/X7X7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777
