Source: Radio New Zealand
Stanley Waipouri was beaten to death in a probable homophobic attack at his Rangitīkei Street flat on 23 December 2006. SUPPLIED
- Teen murderer remains behind bars after parole hearing
- Ashley Arnopp said to be struggling with his attitude and relationships with others
- Parole Board says questions about grisly 2006 murder remain.
Warning: This story contains details some readers may find upsetting.
A man who has spent almost two decades in prison for a gruesome murder that was likely a homophobic attack is struggling with a poor attitude behind bars.
Ashley Arnopp, along with Andre Gilling, beat Stanley Waipouri to death in his Palmerston North flat in December 2006.
Arnopp was 19 at the time and Gilling 17.
Arnopp was released from prison in June 2023, but was back behind bars six months later.
“His relationship with Corrections fell apart and he used drugs,” said a Parole Board progress report, released to RNZ.
Arnopp last appeared before the board in November, but he did not apply for release.
He was on the waiting list for a prison programme – exact details of this were withheld from the report – and his prison security classification was low.
However, the board was told he was no longer in Whanganui Prison’s inner self-care unit and he continued to have “issues in his relationship with others”.
When board members discussed this with Arnopp he admitted to, in the past, being sensitive to criticism.
“He said that this had led to him getting upset, angry and yelling,” the report said.
“He knows what physical signs to look out for when this is building up. He said inner self care became a high-risk situation for him.”
The week before the parole hearing Arnopp had an altercation with another prisoner, which Arnopp said was a miscommunication involving banter.
“He said that the banter related to comments made about the other prisoner’s eating habits, which may have upset him.
“The other prisoner claims to have been intimidated…
“[Arnopp] accepted that his attitude has been poor lately, and that is something he wants to work on.”
Arnopp had a history of poor behaviour in prison. In 2011, he was convicted of assaulting a fellow inmate.
The board also discussed Waipouri’s murder.
“There do seem to be still elements of that offending that nobody seems to understand,” the board report said.
“This may be something that Mr Arnopp still needs to work on with a psychologist.”
Despite being told psychological work with Arnopp was considered finished, the board thought more would be useful, especially given he was considered high risk of reoffending.
After the November hearing it was likely Arnopp would apply to transfer prisons so he could be close to the property he would be released to if granted parole. A transfer would allow him to have guided releases in the meantime.
Arnopp would next meet with the Parole Board in November.
Gilling was released on parole in 2024 and last year was making good progress, according to a report from a progress hearing with the board.
He was working, where he was well regarded, was taking driving lessons, and was enjoying outdoor activities such as tramping.
But, he had faced challenges. In January last year he drank alcohol, in breach of his release conditions.
Gilling told the board it was his first drink in 17 years, but he was again committed to stay away from alcohol.
On 23 December 2006, Gilling and Arnopp were found at the blood-spattered scene of Waipouri’s murder. They had drugs and alcohol in their systems.
Waipouri suffered head, neck and chest injuries, having been beaten for more than an hour in an attack likely motivated by homophobia.
The tip of his penis was missing, an ear was mutilated and there were bite marks on his nipples, although in court the question of cannibalism remained unresolved.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
