'Haka' killer being readied for release

Grieving mother Belinda Reaney.

Victim Simon Reaney.

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THE MAN who murdered a sleeping boy after hearing voices telling him to "kill a Pakeha" is being released despite being regarded as having a "medium/high risk" of reoffending.

Anthony Roma was sentenced to life imprisonment in October, 1991, for slaying seven-year-old Simon Reaney and trying to kill his then 11-year-old brother, Michael, and the boys' father Stephen.

Roma had broken into the family's Napier home, stripped naked and bashed the sleeping boys with a tyre jack.

He then attacked Stephen before adopting a haka-like stance, chanted "Parihaka" – the name of a Taranaki settlement illegally confiscated by the Government at the end of the land wars – and fled the house.

The Parole Board has knocked back Roma's latest bid for full freedom but a written report following his recent hearing has revealed he is on home leave and will soon be back in the community more often as part of a release-to-work scheme.

"There is a psychological report which assesses him as being at medium/high risk of reoffending unless he does something to change his behaviour and has good support and a safety regime," the report said.

"It recommends that he go on the release to work as another way of testing himself across different boundaries and places.

"He tells us he has just been interviewed for release to work. He thinks he is likely to get a job. He is looking forward to that."

Roma has recently been granted four home leaves.

Simon's mother, Belinda Reaney, is outraged Roma is being prepared for reintegration to the community. She said he should serve a life term.

"We are never released from our life sentence. We are being constantly retraumatised and revictimised every year he comes up for parole," she told Sunday News.

"Justice must be seen to be done and it certainly isn't when a killer is given a life sentence and comes up for parole every year after serving just 10 years.

"After 20 years he is still being assessed as having a medium/high risk of reoffending and evidently has not the ability to overcome his addictive behaviour, so why waste time and money going through this charade every year?

"The sad truth is that whilst Roma continues to receive all this input to rehabilitate him, seemingly to no avail, our family has not been accorded the same privilege. Our lives have been unalterably rearranged yet who has come forward with resources or a plan for our rehabilitation?"

Roma was initially released on parole in 2003. But he was recalled six months later after an incident the board report described as his having "got involved with methamphetamine and alcohol and behaved in bizarre and worrying ways".

Roma had been caught masturbating in front of children, convicted of indecent assault and returned to jail.

At the time, Belinda said: "We stressed last time that they should not risk letting him out. We should have been listened to then. They got it wrong and were just lucky that their decision did not cost another innocent life.

"It seems ridiculous that he should be considered for parole ever again."

Roma brutally attacked the Reaney brothers after hearing voices in his head to "kill a Pakeha" while out drinking in the Hawke's Bay on the morning of April 14, 1991.

The boys' parents were awoken by the sound of thumping, and Stephen Reaney confronted Roma who was naked and chanting. Belinda sheltered their infant daughter while her husband fought for his and their sons' lives.

Simon, who suffered substantial skull fractures, died two days later. Michael was on life support for two weeks before coming out of a coma.

Roma was arrested a week later in a Waipukurau paddock, armed with three knives and making "strange whimpering, grunting noises".

The Wellington High Court jury heard before Roma was arrested, he pointed a small, black furry duck at police "voodoo-style" and started taking off his clothes.

An insanity plea was rejected but Roma was committed as a psychiatric patient to Lake Alice Hospital, where he was found to suffer from schizophrenia.

Lake Alice psychiatrist Dr Stuart Roberts told the court at the time of the attack, Roma was adamant he was a Maori warrior and had to kill people.

Roma's schizophrenia diagnosis was later questioned, with another opinion saying he was suffering from depression.

- © Fairfax NZ News