Rapist Rice given "almost total freedom" (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Naomi Bryant inquest hears Rice was unhappy with licence conditions

9:08am Saturday 27th February 2010 in Villages By Ash Bolton

A VIOLENT sex offender was given "almost total freedom" just six weeks before murdering Hampshire mum Naomi Bryant.

An inquest heard how Anthony Rice had begged bosses at Elderfield House in Otterbourne to allow him to move into a halfway house with minimal supervision.

Rice, who murdered Ms Bryant in Winchester in August 2005, moved into the hostel on licence in November 2004 after agreeing to 12 conditions following his release from prison.

Julian Perkins, the former manager of Elderfield House, said Rice broke his conditions several times and had become unhappy at his limitations in the first week.

Rice’s solicitors contacted Elderfield House and Hampshire Probation Service telling them the conditions were infringing his human rights, the inquest in Winchester heard. He asked for a ban on approaching lone females and the restriction of staying in Otterbourne to be lifted.

Rice’s curfew was later relaxed and he was allowed to travel unescorted outside the village after a decision by a Hampshire probation officers, police and staff from Elderfield.

In June 2005 staff at Elderfield allowed Rice to move into Park Farm, a halfway house, despite having concerns about his mental health. Mr Perkins admitted that they "hardly saw him" after he moved in. Rice stabbed Ms Bryant 15 times before strangling her to death in her own home in Weeke.

Proceeding.