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Offender Databases Dean Purdy

Dean Purdy

Alias

.

Offences

Murdered his de facto wife in 1991
Escaped from the Christchurch residential treatment programme in May 2008

Victims

Deborah Purdy

Offender Affiliations

Michelle Nicolson

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

.

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1991
Became parole eligible from April 2001
Last known hearing September 2008

Background
From a Stuff report 12 June 2008
An Auckland man convicted of strangling his wife 17 years ago was free in Christchurch for two days because he needed "time out". Heavily tattooed Dean Purdy appeared in Christchurch District Court today and admitted a charge of escaping from custody.

He left a Salisbury Street Foundation home where he had been placed for assessment for a rehabilitation programme. He left the home on May 30 and gave himself up at the Christchurch Central Police Station on June 1. He was convicted in the High Court at Auckland in May 1991 of the murder of his wife Deborah Purdy, who was a prostitute. He strangled her after they quarrelled over whether she would continue to ply her trade, the crown said at the trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Police prosecutor Nigel Wolland said today Purdy had been given a temporary licence for release from prison in April, for 16 weeks to attend the programme at the foundation but left the facility without permission. When he went to the police station two days later, he told the officers: "I just needed some time out." The case was stood down during the morning for some research by defence counsel Leuatea Iosefa on what sentence could be imposed on a prisoner who was already serving life.

In the afternoon, Judge David Saunders decided that he would impose a concurrent term of six months' jail. Purdy would have to serve half, and the term would expire in time for his release to be considered by the Parole Board in September. "There has to be some deterrent to stop people walking off these programmes when they are there for assessment," said the judge.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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