Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

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

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

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

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

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 / Northern Advocate

Missing Northland woman: Bridget Simmonds murder-accused appears along with second man arrested

By Kristin Edge
Reporter·Northern Advocate·
22 Jun, 2020 06:55 AM3 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

Samuel Hemuera Pou appeared by an audio visual link in Whangārei District Court charged with the murder of Bridget Simmonds. Photo / Tania Whyte

Samuel Hemuera Pou appeared by an audio visual link in Whangārei District Court charged with the murder of Bridget Simmonds. Photo / Tania Whyte

Samuel Hemuera Pou has been charged with the murder of 43-year-old Bridget Odelle Simmonds while another man faces a charge of using her bank card three days after she was reported missing by her family.

The murder charge comes after the body of Simmonds was excavated at a rural property at Parakao, 40km west of Whangārei, on June 12.

Police converged on the 20ha block of land on Wilson Rd, 40km west of Whangārei, after new information came to light which caused investigators to believe foul play was involved in the disappearance of the mother of two.

Pou, represented by lawyers Arthur Fairley and Julie Young, appeared via an audio visual link before Judge John McDonald in the Whangārei District Court today.

A murder charge comes after the body of Bridget Simmonds was excavated at a rural property at Parakao. Photo / Supplied
A murder charge comes after the body of Bridget Simmonds was excavated at a rural property at Parakao. Photo / Supplied
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The 57-year-old, from Otangarei, is charged that between February 23, 2019, and March 14, 2019, he murdered Simmonds.

He also faced a charge that, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, he wounded Simmonds on February 14, 2019.

In relation to another woman, Pou faces three charges of injuring her between December 2016 and March 2017.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody to the High Court at Whangārei on July 9.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Pou pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis relating to a search warrant on June 9, 2020.

Also appearing in the Whangārei District Court todaywas 32-year-old Te Koha Samuel Pou, of Otaika, who was charged with obtaining a pecuniary advantage by using an ANZ bankcard belonging to Bridget Simmonds on March 9, 2019.

He entered a not guilty plea to the charge, opted for a judge-alone trial and was remanded on bail to July 31 for a case review.

Simmonds' mother dropped her at Countdown supermarket in the Regent on her way to Auckland for the weekend on February 23, 2019. Simmonds was reported missing on March 6 after all communication with her family stopped.

Discover more

New Zealand

Missing Northland woman: Police at 'critical point' in search, detective says

11 Jun 05:55 AM

Missing Northland woman: Post mortem complete body is Bridget Simmonds

18 Jun 01:42 AM

Search for teen after firearm incident in Moerewa

21 Jun 05:13 AM

Northlanders shiny happy people, survey says

25 Jun 12:56 AM
Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton said arresting and charging a man with murder marked the end of a lengthy investigation involving hundreds of hours of police work. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton said arresting and charging a man with murder marked the end of a lengthy investigation involving hundreds of hours of police work. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton said the arrest and court appearance of Pou marked the end of an investigation involving hundreds of hours of police work.

He hoped it would bring Simmonds' family some degree of closure after what has been an incredibly difficult past year for them.

A service for Simmonds was held in Kerikeri on Saturday, with family asking for donations instead of flowers to go towards Givealittle or Victim Support.

Police have a direct phone line available for people to call with information that may help the case.

Anyone with information is urged to call 09 430 4555. All calls to this number will be treated in confidence.

The phone line will be manned 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, and anyone who calls outside those hours can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales
Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

More than 170 customers south of Cape Rēinga are still without power.

17 Jul 08:26 AM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM
Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime
Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
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
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • 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
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP