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Offender Databases Leslie Ross

Leslie Peter Ross

Alias

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Offences

Rape and assault of an Auckland woman after unlawfully detaining her in Wanganui in early 2008
Extensive history of violent offending including three other male assault female charges
More than 200 convictions including assaulting police officers, carrying firearms and weapons, theft, fraud and escaping custody

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

Mongrel Mob

Age

Born 1970

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 8 years 2 months in September 2008
Parole declined October 2010
Had another hearing October 2011

Background
Wanganui Chronicle story here
From the Manawatu Standard 10th October 2006
A convicted violent criminal is on the run in the Palmerston North region after escaping custody in a vehicle owned by the Department of Corrections. Leslie Peter Ross was completing a sentence for fraud in a residential programme in New Plymouth after being transferred from Wanganui prison. The programme was for "men who are committed to living crime-free". Ross, 170cm tall and with extensive facial and body tattoos, fled last Thursday night, stopping to steal one of the programme's own vans to make his getaway. A New Plymouth police spokesman said Ross was seen in his room at 11.30pm by staff at the Te Ihi Tu Trust rehabilitation programme centre.

When they checked again before 12.05am, he was gone. Police were contacted at 1.26am. They immediately put out a national alert and patrols were notified of his escape. New Plymouth police were concerned a "spate of offending" might ensue during the next few days but did not feel the effects in Taranaki. "We are pretty confident he left straight away," the spokesman said. Ross is well known to Palmerston North police, having more than 200 convictions in the region. The 36 year old is affiliated with the Mongrel Mob and previous convictions include violence toward police officers, carrying firearms and weapons, and escaping custody.Police say he is dangerous and should not be approached.

On Saturday, Ross appeared at a Palmerston North petrol station with a woman who also has gang connections. He filled the unmarked white Hiace van with petrol and drove off without paying, leaving the woman behind. She went to police to clear her role in the theft. Ross drove to a Palmerston North car yard on Sunday, now back with his female friend, and approached the sole-charge salesman about test- driving a silver Ford Falcon (registration AUF920). The yard manager was not working that day, but said Ross came in wearing a beanie, showed a valid driver's licence and told the salesman he was a shearer.

The salesman said Ross seemed plausible and was not rough in his speech. "We have had people in here who looked rough, but they have been fine and they pay, so what can you do?" the manager said. Ross arranged to take the car out for half an hour, but after an hour had gone by, he had not come back. The salesman then checked up on the van Ross had arrived in and found it was registered to Correction's probation department. By Sunday afternoon, police caught up with Ross in Palmerston North and a car chase began through the city. Police were forced to abandon the chase after Ross began driving on the wrong side of the road and across traffic medians.

Ross is expected to base himself around Manawatu, Tararua and Wanganui, as he has connections in these areas and has written letters to Dannevirke and Palmerston North addresses from prison. He was last seen at 6pm on Monday in Bulls, heading north on State Highway 3. The Department of Corrections said it is not able to discuss details of individual offenders, but gave information on the Te Ihi Tu programme whose care Ross was under when he escaped: "The programme is aimed at men who are committed to living crime free, but don't have the skills, knowledge, understanding, or support to change their way of life." A criteria for inclusion is that men "must be committed to change". Ross was eligible for inclusion as he was on temporary release.

Wanganui Prison manager Tony Howe said prisoners on temporary release have been classed as having a low risk of escape. "Rehabilitation programmes are a very important tool in preparing an offender for release back into the community. "Incidents such as this are very rare, because the majority of prisoners on such programmes are committed to turning their lives around." Inmates are not locked up during residential programmes. The Manawatu Standard understands Ross was in his fourth week of a 13-week stay at the trust. The manager of the car yard was concerned the public and media were not informed Ross was in town until yesterday. "People should be told so they can stay away from him and report the vehicle."

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Corrections and Additional Information
We endeavour to make this database as accurate as possible, but we are at the mercy of whatever information we can find in various online and offline archives. We rely on the public - that is, people like you - to fill in the gaps that we cannot. If you wish to submit additional information or a correction to this file CLICK HERE . Privacy: Trust policy is that all sources are treated as strictly confidential unless we are explicitly told otherwise. If you wish to see a file removed from this database certain conditions must be met by the offender set out HERE Note that this does NOT apply for those that are the primary offender in a murder, rape, or any sexual offending involving minors. We do not enter into correspondence regarding the guilt/innocence of offenders. Such correspondence is not responded to, especially if the offender concerned has a number of prior convictions

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