Parole Board rejects Peter Holdem's release over questionable prison photo

Peter Joseph Holdem, the man convicted of murdering six-year-old Louisa Damodran in 1986, has been denied parole for the twelfth time. The New Zealand Parole Board voted to keep him in custody, citing a lack of clarity regarding his progress and a specific item found in his cell that raised concerns about his psychological state.

The decision comes after a hearing held on October 12. Holdem was originally eligible for release in October 1996. He has appeared before the board every four years since then, facing rejection at each stage. The board will review his case again before April 30 of next year.

A central point of contention in the latest hearing involved a photograph discovered among Holdem's prison property in 2024. The image depicted a young girl who bore a resemblance to Louisa Damodran. Holdem told the panel he kept the photo to remind himself of the seriousness of his crime. Neville Trendle, the convener of the parole panel, stated the board was less than satisfied with that explanation.

Trendle noted that Holdem struggled to answer direct questions about how he had changed. The convener observed that Holdem often reverted to a pattern of referencing past incidents where he had been a victim rather than focusing on his own actions. The board found it difficult to understand his stated shift in perspective regarding women.

Holdem has completed a high-intensity child sex offending programme and ten sessions of individual psychological treatment focused on the homicide aspect of his offense. He also participated in his first guided release into the community, an experience he described as overwhelming after four decades in prison. Despite this, the board declined his request for further guided releases.

The board has requested a detailed risk assessment and an updated psychological report before the next hearing. These documents must assess the gains made from his treatment and evaluate his current safety plan. Trendle pointed out an apparent lack of understanding regarding the essence of Holdem's current plan, a factor that contributed to the decision to delay his progression on a reintegration pathway.

Holdem was convicted in 1986 for the abduction and murder of Louisa Damodran in Bromley, Christchurch. On October 15, 1986, he kidnapped the girl as she walked home from school, just 100 meters from her house. He drove her to the Waimakariri River, where he throttled and drowned her. At the time of the murder, Holdem was on parole after serving a sentence for the attempted rape of a ten-year-old in 1982.