Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Man who raped, murdered British backpacker at Mt Maunganui in 1989 denied parole again

Anna Leask
By Anna Leask
Senior Journalist - crime and justice·NZ Herald·
20 Sep, 2016 11:24 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Monica Cantwell was murdered in 1989. Photo / Supplied

Monica Cantwell was murdered in 1989. Photo / Supplied

A man who murdered a British backpacker in 1989 has been denied parole because he is "at serious risk of criminal behaviour".

Monica Cantwell, 24, was walking on a track near the summit of Mt Maunganui in November 1989 when Charles John Coulam grabbed her, dragged her into the bushes and raped her.

He strangled her during the attack and left her lying semi-naked about 50m from the track.

READ MORE:
Parole denied but killer walks streets

Her body was found three days later after her worried friends reported her missing.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
The memorial for Monica Cantwell at Mt Maunganui. Photograph/Bay of Plenty Times.
The memorial for Monica Cantwell at Mt Maunganui. Photograph/Bay of Plenty Times.

Coulam was arrested and charged with murder soon after. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 1996, Coulam was diagnosed with schizophrenia and transferred from prison to a mental health facility.

A court order made Coulam a special patient under the Mental Health Act, meaning he must remain in a secure mental health facility indefinitely.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He became eligible for parole in 2011 but was refused on the basis that he still posed a risk to public safety.

On September 8 Coulam appeared before the Parole Board and was denied an early release again.

Charles John Coulam. Photograph/ Bay of Plenty Times.
Charles John Coulam. Photograph/ Bay of Plenty Times.

The board's decision, released to the Herald, revealed that Coulam's mental disorder is "treatment resistant".

"In addition there is an overlay of an excessive compulsive disorder with elements of sexual sadism and autism spectrum," it said.

Coulam's "psychotic symptoms" were said to be under control with medication and the board said he was making "good progress".

"He has had a significant number of unescorted community outings and is on a second week of a computer course.

"It is clear he could not possibly manage at present in the community, as [he] is at serious risk of criminal behaviour.

"Parole is declined and he will be seen again in a year's time."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child

07 Jul 08:00 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

07 Jul 07:00 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Hunter who feeds the hungry named Volunteer of the Year

07 Jul 06:56 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child

'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child

07 Jul 08:00 AM

The man apologised to his victim, but pleaded not guilty.

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

07 Jul 07:00 AM
Hunter who feeds the hungry named Volunteer of the Year

Hunter who feeds the hungry named Volunteer of the Year

07 Jul 06:56 AM
Downhill mountain bikers impress on world stage

Downhill mountain bikers impress on world stage

07 Jul 06:38 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP