Charles John Coulam pictured after being sentenced to life for the rape and murder of Monica Cantwell on Mount Maunganui in 1989. Photo / NZME
A man described as a "monster" for brutally raping and murdering British backpacker Monica Cantwell on Mauao 33 years ago is about to be released into the community.
A New Zealand Parole Board decision released this week confirmed its recommendation to release Charles John Coulam, 52, on August 29, with special conditions.
Coulam was 19 years old when he attacked Cantwell on the summit of Mauao on November 20, 1989.
Mauao Trust member and local iwi representative Buddy Mikaere, who each year held a service on the mountain acknowledging Cantwell's death, was disappointed by the decision and said, in his view, Coulam was a ''monster''.
Cantwell, 24, was on the northern summit track looking out to Matakana Island when Coulam grabbed her from behind, dragged her into the bushes and raped her. She was strangled to death and her cold, semi-naked body was found in the bushes three days later.
Coulam was arrested a month later and sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and assault with intent to cause sexual violation. He had a security classification of "high".
He has since faced several unsuccessful parole hearings since becoming eligible in 1999.
In a 2019, parole board decision, chairman Sir Ron Young said that while there had not been any further manifestation of sexual violence thoughts for many years, Coulam had difficulty understanding or seeing how others might view his offending.
Coulam has schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism.
That year, Coulam had been caught accessing increasingly explicit pornography during night releases and the board declared he remained an undue risk.
Coulam last appeared before the parole board in October 2021, when he was based at forensic psychiatry centre the Mason Clinic, having completed "significant and wide-ranging rehabilitation".
The board declined his application for parole then because it wanted to test his gradual transition between the Mason Clinic and a particular accommodation facility, details of which remain withheld.
Coulam had since been integrating back into society with five-hourly unescorted leaves, going to places that have been pre-arranged.
In the latest decision, Young referred to Coulam's psychologist's concerns that it was important Coulam's risk would require ongoing monitoring, "especially his deviant sexual interests".
"He has had over 10 years of psychological treatment and he is now very much in the maintenance stage."
Coulam's condition was regularly reviewed "and the key to his future will be his preparedness to discuss his thinking and his inner world with those who are supporting him", Young said.
Young said the board was satisfied the proposed residence where Coulam would live met his need and was "secured monitored supported accommodation".
Coulam "did not have a good understanding of the special conditions that had been recommended" but "for understandable reasons his focus has been very much on his mental health", Young said.
In the decision to recommend Coulam's release, Young said: "We have decided he is now no longer an undue risk and can be released given the special conditions that are now proposed for him."
Most of the 16 special conditions were expected to last for life, with a review scheduled for a monitoring hearing in December.
The conditions include not entering or loitering near any parks, reserves or other area specified by a probation officer without the officer's written approval or approved adult present.
A daily curfew between 7pm and 6am, psychological assessment and potential treatment, alcohol and non-prescribed drugs ban, and a requirement to hand over any electronic device when asked were also imposed.
"We do not think it necessary to have electronic monitoring of the curfew, but we do think the curfew itself is important and so we will impose that curfew for a period of three months from the date on which he is released."
Coulam will become the responsibility of the Department of Corrections.
Before Coulam's release, there needed to be family meetings with those who had an interest in his welfare to discuss his release proposal and special conditions. A "media plan" was also suggested.
"There was significant publicity at the time of his offending and it may be that the media will be interested again in his release ..."
At the time of the crime, the Mount Maunganui community was so shocked that, with family permission, a large boulder was placed with a plaque on Mauao's summit. It still sits there today, just off to the side of the 4WD track.
A pohutukawa tree was also planted nearby, with members of Altrusa Mount Maunganui climbing the mountain every day for the first three years to water it.
Mikaere said he was "shocked" and "disappointed" at the decision to release Coulam.
In 2016, the plaque inspired Mikaere to fundraise for the Tauranga Women's Refuge by climbing Mauao. Each year, he also holds a service at the memorial rock acknowledging Cantwell's death.
Mikaere said, in his opinion, Coulam was a ''monster''.
"As the person responsible for organising the Monica Cantwell memorial service every White Ribbon Day, I have intimate insight into the deep grief still felt in our Tauranga community over the evil act perpetrated by this [in my view] monster with the rape and murder of a manuhiri who had every right to think she was safe on our sacred maunga," Mikaere said.
Mauao, especially the summit, is a sacred spot for Māori. For many, the mountain is a boundary marker and part of their whakapapa.
Mikaere said he was well aware of the parole board's previous findings, particularly the revelation of Coulam accessing pornography while away on night visits.
In a story marking 30 years since the killing, former senior detective Peter Blackwell told Bay of Plenty Times he'd never forget the fear and tension that had taken hold of the community. Blackwell was one of the detectives assigned to the Cantwell case.
Former detective Carl Purcell interviewed Coulam when he was arrested, and gained his confession.
Purcell was unable to comment on the decision yesterday but said he still felt the effect of Coulam's killing, referring to the matter-of-fact delivery of Coulam's confession.
"There are always the ones that stick with you because of how and what happened and that was one of them. She was a tourist. It happened at the Mount, a reasonably sacred place for iwi or any person living in and around the Western Bay of Plenty."
In response to the concerns raised, a parole board spokesman said that in making the decision, community safety was always the most important decision.
"Under the Parole Act, the board must decide that the offender does not pose an 'undue risk' to the safety of the community before parole can be granted."
It was not appropriate to comment further, the spokesman said.
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