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Crash victim's son says parole system is flawed

Tue, 04 Jul 2017

The son of a woman killed by a drunk driver just weeks after he'd been released from prison says the Island's parole system is a flawed process.

Gwen Valentine died in 2014 after being struck by a vehicle driven by Donovan Kitching, who had failed a breath test immediately before the crash.

Stuart Valentine described Kitching being granted parole as a systematic failure as a result of people following flawed processes.

Mr Valentine also revealed that he is haunted by words from Kitching's parole report, which said there was "little to be gained" from keeping him in custody, and that he has been through three years of hell while the inquiry took place.

A report into Kitching's release from prison three weeks before the collision made 26 recommendations for change, a number of which have already been brought in by the Department of Home Affairs.

Kitching was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for causing Ms Valentine's death.

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