The convicted sex offender widely known as "the Beast of Blenheim" has begun a fight against tough release conditions.
Stewart Murray Wilson faces the most stringent conditions imposed on any prisoner ever released in New Zealand history.
He will be released from prison next month to live in a house on Whanganui Prison grounds.
A writ of habeas corpus was ruled out in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday and the case will be heard as a judicial review of the Parole Board's decision in the High Court on August 20, Christchurch Court News reported.
Justice John Fogarty made it clear that he did not expect that the review could be settled before Wilson's release.
The 65-year-old has been in jail for 18 years and cannot legally be held any longer, despite experts' fears he will repeat some of his cruel crimes.
His lawyer Andrew McKenzie has said Wilson has done his time and should be left in peace.
Wilson was jailed for sex crimes against women, children and animals over 25 years in Blenheim.
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