The family of murdered Feilding farmer Scott Guy is pleased Ewen Macdonald's latest bid for freedom has been rejected.

After an hour-long hearing in Christchurch the Parole Board took about 15 minutes to make its decision, saying that Macdonald still posed an undue risk to the community.

Macdonald, 33, was jailed last year for five years for arson, vandalism and killing animals.

ROSS GIBLIN IN COURT: Anna Guy during the Ewen Macdonald trial.

He has been in custody since he was arrested in April 2011 and still has just over two years until his sentence ends on April 6, 2016.

Macdonald had wanted to be released to a Christchurch property under strict conditions.

Scott Guy's father, Bryan, said the hearing hadn't been occupying his thoughts too much and he hadn't known what to expect.

PAROLE PLAN: Ewen Macdonald said not everyone recognised him.

"I probably thought 50:50 that it could go either way," he said.

"It sounds like the next hearing will be in another 12 months' time. That's pleasing from our point of view, certainly."

Macdonald's lawyer, Peter Coles, told reporters that parole had been refused, but it was in relation to the offences which he had pleaded guilty to.

"There's nothing in this decision to infer in terms of any other matter that he was previously charged with, it's no part of this court's decision," he said.

Macdonald was acquitted last year of the murder of Scott Guy, his brother-in-law, who was shot in July 2010. The pair worked alongside each other managing the Guy family farm.

Coles said that Macdonald had kept in close contact with his four children.

"They know he was found not guilty of the murder of their Uncle Scott," Coles said. "If you're going to throw stones at Ewen Macdonald, you just be sure you're not throwing any at his children."

RELEASE PLAN

Macdonald had presented the board with a release plan that identified areas of risk. He also said he thought he and ex-wife Anna would still be together if his offending had not come to light.

During the hearing he was calm. His parents Kerry and Marlene spoke in support of him and another supporter was present.

Macdonald was quizzed about his offending and said it happened when his life was out of balance or when he was seeking vengeance.

Coles said Macdonald wasn't ready for release a year ago and the community wasn't then ready either.

Macdonald said he had received a job offer from an employer he met while working splitting wood.

In prison he'd kept himself busy by working and keeping fit.



He also said he wanted nothing to do with firearms or hunting.

Macdonald would have another chance to apply for parole in November next year.

DETAINED SINCE 2011



Macdonald has been in custody since he was arrested in April 2011 for the murder of his brother-in-law, Feilding farmer Scott Guy, who was shot in July 2010.

The pair worked alongside each other managing the Guy family farm.

At a five-week jury trial in Wellington last year, Macdonald was acquitted of killing Guy. He was later jailed for five years for arson, vandalism and killing animals.

Alongside farm worker Callum Boe, Macdonald admitted six criminal charges, including destroying the interior of Scott and wife Kylee Guy's new house and scrawling crude messages on the building's exterior.

The pair committed other offences, such as burning down a whare, as acts of revenge.

Macdonald was declined early parole last year, after he had served a third of his sentence, with the board saying: ''We are not satisfied that presently Mr Macdonald would not pose and undue risk to the community or any person in it with whom he should feel umbrage.''