One of four Pakistani brothers jailed over the gang rapes of teenage girls in Sydney eight years ago has been granted parole and will be released from prison despite opposition from NSW's head of Corrective Services.
The brothers - who cannot be identified because two were aged under 18 at the time of the sexual assaults - were each convicted over the attacks on two girls aged 16 and 17 in 2002.
Known as MRK, the second youngest brother was 17 when the girls were gang raped at the brothers' Ashfield home in Sydney's inner west on July 28, 2002.
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A spokesman for the State Parole Authority on Monday confirmed that the man, now aged 25, was granted parole last Thursday and will be released from Long Bay jail between May 18 and May 25.
"I can confirm that a parole order was made last Thursday," the spokesman told AAP.
MRK was sentenced to serve at least six years and nine months in custody with an earliest possible date of release in July 2007.
The sentence came after a trial that attracted great public interest and in which MRK was convicted of nine counts of aggravated sexual assault in company.
"He has been refused bail in 2007, 2008 and 2009," the spokesman said, adding that in 2009 MRK was convicted of another historical criminal matter while in custody, which delayed his original non-parole period until April 30, 2009.
"In making its decision the authority would have had in mind that his full-time (sentence) expires in July 2012, so there is a need for supervision in the community right through until July 31, 2012."
MRK has been granted parole to live at an approved address, believed to be in Sydney.
NSW Corrective Services Commissioner Ron Woodham had opposed the decision.
"The commissioner opposed the release of (MRK) and made submissions to the State Parole Authority to that effect," a Corrective Services spokesman said on Monday.
The State Parole Authority said the decision came after consultation with the Serious Offenders Review Council, which had been partly responsible for MRK's progress while in custody.
"The parole order includes that he live at an approved address, continue to receive psychological counselling and comply with all conditions of the Child Protection Register," the parole authority spokesman said.
"That order prohibits him from being in the company of any person under the age of 16 unless accompanied by a responsible adult."
MRK is also prevented from contacting or approaching any of his victims or frequenting areas where they live or commonly visit.
After the brothers' sentencing, an investigating police detective described the offences as one of the most violent rapes he had ever investigated.
"No sentence, no matter how harsh, will ever compensate the victim(s)," he said.
MRK immigrated to Australia from Pakistan with his family. He is not expected to be subject to deportation upon release.
His three brothers, aged between one year younger and six years older than him, remain in custody.
