James Wallace continues to deny sexual offending at his first parole hearing

“I am almost 86. I am really not capable of being a risk to anyone in any sexual sense and otherwise. I’m always more helpful than I am a risk to society generally.”

Those are some of the words James Hay Wallace said to the Parole Board on Monday afternoon as he continues to deny all of his offending. The Parole Board declined Wallace’s released on parole wanting him to work on his safety plan and talk to a psychologist.

Wallace was told he’d be seen by the board again in November.

“That’s impossible. I won’t be alive,” Wallace said and started packing up papers and notes.

”It’s unimaginable for me to even start to be at risk at all to anyone about anything,” he previously told the board.

Wallace was revealed as the “prominent businessman” who had sexually abused three young men back in June after he failed to be granted leave to appeal by the Supreme Court. This was more than five years after he’d been charged.

Stuff and NZME successfully revoked his name suppression on the morning of his first trial in 2019. However, at every step, Wallace appealed. Until the Supreme Court said no more in June.

Last month, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that Wallace was no longer allowed to use the title “Sir” after the government made a request to King Charles to trip him of his knighthood.

Wallace was appointed as Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to the arts in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

On Monday the Parole Board comprising Neville Trendle, Sam Perry and Alan Hackney all asked Wallace numerous questions around his safety plan and support network if he was to be released on parole.

Wallace told the board it would be a lie if he now said he was guilty just in attempt to get home.

“For as long as your hands can move you are potentially a risk…for as long as your brain works you are able to attempt to dissuade,” Perry asked Wallace.

“It’s totally outside of my character…my character at this age especially,” Wallace replied.

But Perry said age is not an impediment to either of those.

One of Wallace’s survivors had written a letter to the parole board.

“He’s living in nevereverland. I think it’s sad that 23 years later he’s dwelling on something that didn’t happen,” Wallace said.

When one of the parole board members told Wallace the jury believed the victims, he replied “that was their problem”.

Wallace also claimed to have distanced himself from his “overenthusiastic friends” who attempted to pay off one of his survivors.

Wallace said one of the reasons he should be granted parole was because he’d reached a critical point in the restoration of the McLean’s Mansion in Christchurch.

“I think I have a really great project ahead of me finishing off the restoration house,” Wallace said showing the board printed out copies of the mansion.

“It’s got to a critical point where I have to decide on plumbing and bathroom and we’ve got as far as we can do, but I really need to be down there,” Wallace said.

David Jones KC submitted the 9 months and 10 days Wallace has been in prison is a significant amount of time for an 85-year-old man.

“Suppression has gone, there has been public humiliation of Mr Wallace. A lot of people have made comments and he has now been stripped of his knighthood.”

Jones said Wallace has tremendous support in terms of safety plan. Wallace said he’d never be alone as he has people living and working at Rannoch House.

“I don’t entertain anyone personally by themselves and haven’t for many years.”

A case worker told the board Wallace was seen by one of the psychologists on Monday with Wallace not consenting for an assessment.

”I can that’s untrue,” Wallace butted in.

Jones also told the board Wallace had been seen by a psychologist and there were people around him who supported him and wanted the best for him.

Back in 2021, Wallace was found guilty of sexually assaulting three men who were visiting him at his Epsom home, Rannoch House.

The three men were indecently assaulted in 2000 or 2001, 2008 and 2016.

In the two earlier cases, both men had been invited to Wallace’s home for business meetings seeking grants. In both cases, they had been given alcohol and the assaults took place after they were taken on a tour of the house.

One of the men believed Wallace had spiked his drink with drugs.

In the 2016 assault, the victim was living and working at the house as part of Wallace’s residency.

He told the court he had food poisoning on the night he was attacked. The same night Wallace climbed into his bed, “spooned” him, then sexually assaulted him.

After the 2016 victim went to the police, the businessman and others made several attempts to convince him to drop the complaint.

At Wallace’s sentencing, Justice Geoffrey Venning said it was for Wallace’s benefit to bribe the victim from giving evidence and he was prepared to spend significant amounts of money.

“You had others do your dirty work,” Justice Venning said.

Ahead of sentencing, Stuff revealed Wallace appeared to put his name to an email sent to 167 people and group email addresses, begging for letters of support to keep him out of jail. 89 people replied sending letters to the court.

Where to get help for sexual violence

• Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00, click link for local helplines.
• Safe to Talk 0800 044 334, text 4334, webchat safetotalk.nz or email support@safetotalk.nz.
• Victim Support 0800 842 846
• The Harbour Online support and information for people affected by sexual abuse.
• Women’s Refuge 0800 733 843 (females only)
• Male Survivors Aotearoa Helplines across NZ, click to find out more (males only).
• If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.

Need help? If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation, click the Shielded icon at the bottom of this website to contact Women’s Refuge in a safe and anonymous way without it being traced in your browser history. If you’re in our app, visit the mobile website here to access Shielded.