New Zealander Glenn McNeill being led from the cells to the courtroom in the 175-year-old former military barracks in Kingston, Norfolk Island, in 2007. Photo: AFP / Lawrence Bartlett
A man convicted of a brutal murder on Norfolk Island more than 20 years ago is set to be deported to New Zealand.
Nelson chef Glenn McNeill was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007 for the brutal killing of Sydney woman Janelle Patton five years prior.
The 29-year-old's body was found wrapped in black plastic at a picnic spot on the island.
It followed a brutal attack where the woman sustained more than 60 injuries including blows from a blunt object and being stabbed repeatedly.
Patton's killing was the first murder on Norfolk Island in 150 years, generating global headlines and sparking a four-year-long investigation
McNeill is now bound for these shores.
The Supreme Court of Norfolk Island previously confirmed to the ABC that McNeill was expected to be released on 1 February.
The Department of Corrections said McNeill will be subject to a Returning Offenders Order, upon his return New Zealand, authorised by police commissioner Andrew Coster.
The order enables the department to "manage and monitor" certain offenders returning from overseas.
The supervision regime applies to eligible offenders who had served a term or terms of imprisonment of more than one year offshore.
Corrections' acting deputy national commissioner David Grigg said the law applied regardless of whether an offender was deported, removed, or had returned voluntarily.
"Public safety is our top priority and a person who is subject to a returning offenders order is managed in the same way as if they have been released from prison in New Zealand.
"The supervision is similar to parole in that Community Corrections staff manage and ensure the person's compliance with a number of standard release conditions, as set out in the Parole Act."
Stuff has reported that McNeill was being deported to Christchurch.
McNeill will be subject to interim special conditions upon arriving in New Zealand.
Once here, the department can apply to the courts for "final special conditions".
"This is standard process for all people subject to a Returning Offenders Order.
"Applications for special conditions are individually drafted on a case-by-case basis, to address the returning offender's specific offending behaviour, and giving consideration to their circumstances and offending history."
Corrective Services New South Wales confirmed McNeill was released earlier this week.
McNeill was arrested near Nelson for Patton's murder in 2006 after being identified by Australian Federal Police.
He confessed to officers in custody, declaring the death as "just an accident".
According to McNeill's original confession, he put Patton's body in the boot of his car and then later, inflicted stab wounds to "make sure" she had died, wrapped her body in plastic, drove to the picnic area at Cockpit Reserve and left her in the rain.
McNeill later performed an about-face, pleading not guilty, sending the case to Norfolk Island for a five-week trial.
All 11 jurors found McNeill guilty of Patton's murder.
