Boy helps in rescue of abducted woman

Police leading Nathan Boulter in handcuffs from a police launch at Mechanics Bay after his arrest on Great Barrier Island. Photo / Michael Craig

The actions of a 9-year-old boy helped rescue Nortessa Montgomerie yesterday afternoon, 36 hours after she was abducted on Great Barrier Island.

Montgomerie, a 20-year-old student, was kidnapped from her bed as she slept beside her partner on Thursday night.

She was rescued after Callum Grady heard her calling for help and told his mother, who called police.

Montgomerie's former boyfriend, Nathan Boulter, 21, from Southland, is alleged to have taken her. He has been arrested and arrived in Auckland last night on the police launch. He was handcuffed, barefoot and wearing a white police boilersuit.

Montgomerie was snatched while she was babysitting at the home of her father, Pete, in Claris on the island's east coast.

It is understood she had been kept against her will at an unoccupied house in the Mason Rd area.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard said she was "quite traumatised".

"We don't know how traumatised and the long-term effects on her. She will be taken to hospital and offered counselling. Her father is with her and he's ecstatic."

She was taken to the island's medical centre and transferred to Auckland Hospital by helicopter.

She had a large bruise on her forehead but told TVOne she felt "fantastic" and "so happy".

Her grandfather, Tony Powell, who flew to the island from Papakura after hearing of Montgomerie's disappearance, said her relationship with Boulter had been unhappy and she had been disturbed by messages he sent her by text and on Facebook.

Beard said it was too early to say what charges would be laid.

Montgomerie's stepmother Peta Sinclair did not know the surname of Nortessa's current partner, Mike. She said he was not from the island but has been living and surfing there for some time.

She said Montgomerie was snatched as she slept alongside the 28-year-old. Two children were asleep upstairs. One was Sinclair's and the other a family friend's.

Mike was hit with a crowbar as he slept, suffering serious head injuries and broken ribs.

"He woke up and Nortessa was gone," said Sinclair.

Mike alerted the police about midnight and almost 30 officers, including members of the armed offenders squad and specialist search teams with dogs, were sent to the island.

Sinclair said friends and family "scrambled in the bush" all Friday as the hunt intensified, and continued their efforts yesterday.

Early yesterday Land Search and Rescue teams co-ordinated groups of islanders.

They set out in teams of 10 working through dense bush in a line 5m apart.

Mason Rd resident and Montgomerie family friend Ilone Grady said her son Callum, 9, was outside about 2.30pm when he heard a woman shouting for help.

A group of residents were in the area at the time, calling out for Montgomerie.

"My son heard Nortessa shouting, 'Help, help', and he heard a man shouting 'Shut up'. He ran inside and told me what he heard and I rang the police and told them, 'She's here'.

"Next thing the AOS came in with their guns and dogs. They told me to get the kids inside. I thought I was on the set of a movie," she said.

Meanwhile another group of searchers further down the road saw a man trying to flee as the Westpac helicopter circled overhead.

They alerted the armed offenders squad who arrested him.

Grady said she was relieved her family could help find Montgomerie alive. "I feel we helped flush [her captor] out. He had nowhere to go. We're so happy she's alive. She is just the most warm-hearted, kind-spirited, beautiful girl I know.

"It's great for the family. Pete and Nortessa are very close and he's a great dad."

Sinclair said the family had endured two agonising nights and were "super-relieved" Montgomerie was found.

"Nortessa is relieved. She is in quite a lot of shock but still she's in good spirits and she's all right," she said.

Beard said the rescue was a combined effort of Land Search and Rescue, the AOS, Westpac helicopter crew and residents which had helped flush out the offender.

"It's a great result. They were found outside moving along the roadway but off the road. A number of locals saw them when they were caught," he said.

Boulter's mother lives in Riverton. A friend of the family who did not want to be named said Nathan had a troubled childhood.

His father died when he was young and he was placed into CYF care because his mum could not control him.

He was apparently moved around CYF homes until being sent to Auckland where he met Nortessa.

A good friend of Montgomerie, Wendy Locke, said last night she was thrilled to hear she had been found safe and well.

Montgomerie had dated Locke's son and the pair had been good friends since.

She said Montgomerie moved to the island to live with her father Pete six to eight months ago after breaking up with Boulter. Locke said Montgomerie was a strong woman and would probably recover well from the ordeal.

Montgomerie's aunt Denise Powell said the romance with Boulter had been brief.

"Actually there was not really much there but I believe that he [Boulter] was infatuated by her."

- Additional reporting Leigh van der Stoep