CAREER criminal Adrian Alwyn Pickett was released from Risdon Prison on Monday after almost 14 years behind bars. The Tasmanian Parole Board granted Mr Pickett, 36, conditional bail, despite being refused parole in August 2013.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In considering the decision the board reviewed several reports from a forensic clinical psychologist and psychiatrist, plus a pre-parole report, a prison episode summary and his conviction record.
Mr Pickett was convicted of assault in 1987 and his history of charges from 2000 to 2012 include aggravated assault, robbery, assaulting a public officer, wounding and unlawfully setting fire to property.
Since 2000, Mr Pickett committed more than 30 internal prison offences - five of which were related to his ongoing drug use while in jail.
He escaped a police van in 1998 and set fire to his solitary confinement cell in 2011.
Justice Helen Wood's oral reasons for judgement in Mr Pickett's case against the state in 2011 for mistreatment in incarceration were also considered.
His case resulted in changes to the way Mr Pickett was managed by prison authorities and according to the report "clearly impacted in a positive way upon the applicant's overall behaviour".
Since August, Mr Pickett had been downgraded to medium security from maximum security and participated in the Suboxone program to address drug issues.
The board felt Mr Pickett would benefit from reintegration leave before his earliest release date of October 17, 2016.
Mr Pickett is on strict provisions and must adhere to a risk management plan to remain on parole.
He must undergo drug and alcohol counselling and not consume the products, be supervised for long periods, subject to police curfew checks, hold no association with former and current pro-criminal associates and attend anger management and other programs advised by his parole officer to minimise his risk of him reoffending.
He will participate in the Red Cross Peer Mentoring Program and will live with a family member until he secures his own accommodation.
The report said: "it is the view of the board that release in these circumstances is preferable to the release of a long term institutionalised offender into the community without supervision and without any supports or risk management strategies in place".
Mr Pickett will be on parole until June 22, 2017.
