Community feelings are running deep following the recent news that the man who killed British backpacker Monica Cantwell will be released later this month.

'I'm very disappointed,” says Buddy Mikaere, who organises a service on Mauao every year to remember Monica.

'He came up for review last year and got turned down because he was found to be in possession of pornography.

'So, clearly he hasn't changed. It's one of those cases where life imprisonment should mean life.

'I'm no expert in this field, but clearly if he's got that kind of material, he's not learned anything from being in there and from all the treatment he's had. He's still the same monster he was 33 years ago.

'They must have access to cell phones. Apparently one of the conditions of his release is that he has to make his electronic devices available for examination at any time, so I presume that's how he's been accessing material?”

Monica Cantwell's memorial has two pohutukawa trees and mamuka nearby. Photo: Supplied.

Monica, who grew up in the Surrey village of Lingfield was just one week into a trip to New Zealand when, was raped and strangled whilst walking the northern summit track on Mauao on November 20, 1989.

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

The man sentenced to life in prison for her murder, Charles John Coulam, now 52, was arrested a month later.

On White Ribbon Day every November 25, Buddy and others gather around a monument near the summit of Mauao to remember Monica.

Buddy Mikaere has raised hundreds of dollars for Tauranga's Womens Refuge. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Buddy organised the memorial to honour Monica and also raise awareness about the high prevalence of domestic violence in New Zealand.

'We have a service up there every year, and then gather together afterwards and have a coffee at the Deck Chair Café which is also a fundraiser for Tauranga Women's Refuge.”

In 2021, Tamati Tata, Commissioner Anne Tolley, Pastor Leanne Rolleston, Tauranga Women's Refuge manager Hazel Hape, and Peri Kohu, along with about 20 others, also attended the dawn service.

'For the first time last year, we also had a White Ribbon Day dinner and auction at the Tauranga Club. We'll do that again this year. We raised something like $10,000 last year for Women's Refuge,” says Buddy.

Video: Buddy Mikaere reflecting on White Ribbon Day and the memorial to Monica Cantwell in November 2019.

Tauranga Womens' Refuge general manager Hazel Hape is hopeful the community can have confidence in the decision made by the parole board.

'I have thought about it in the past on what it means for the community when someone is coming out from something violent where they've taken someone's life,” says Hazel.

'A lot of planning and conditions have to go into preparing for their release. But you can have all the conditions in the world and it's still not going to bring her back to her family or loved ones. He took her life. Her family have had 33 years that they've had to find their way in their lives without her.”

Tauranga Women's Refuge manager Hazel Hape speaking at the 2021 dawn service. Photo: Annemarie Quill.

Hazels says all the parole board can do is have a clear release plan that is monitored by government departments so that his conditions are being resourced, and that he is supported, so it doesn't happen again.

'Such as some of his health conditions around the illnesses he has had or still has.

'We're hopeful that the community can have confidence in the people tasked with making decisions to release him. There needs to be some monitoring,” says Hazel.

'We are hopeful that the decisions that the parole board has made with special conditions is implemented, resourced, monitored and supported. And be accountable.”

Hazel says careful thought, consideration and evidence would have needed to go into the parole board decision prior to Coulam's release.

'It's the parole board making this decision based on professional advice, not us the community. That doesn't mean it makes it any easier or the community supports that. It does mean that they've made a decision and ensure that it happens. And be held accountable for the success of his release.”

Hazel says there will definitely be mixed emotions.

'At the end of the day a child's life was taken. Unless you're parents who lose a child like that, you'll never know what that feels like. As a parent myself I would never want to experience the loss of a child that way. It would be one of the most traumatic soul destroying things anyone could experience.”

The plaque on Monica Cantwell's memorial stone. Photo: Supplied.

These days with hundreds of thousands of people traversing Mauao, the possibility of anyone being alone on the dormant volcano for more than a minute is rare.

Tauranga City Council report that so far this year Te Tihi o Mauao – the summit of Mauao - has had more than 318,811 visitors, with 297,147 people going around Te Ara Tutanga – the base track.

Last year, there were 576,093 visitors to the summit and 499,093 who ventured around the base track of Mauao.

'Through the development of the Mauao Historic Reserve Management Plan in 2018, there was careful consideration around the use of the National Guidelines for Crime Prevention through Environmental design and how this would be used to generate behavioural effects reducing the incidence and fear of crime,” says Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao chairman, Dean Flavell.

'For example, plant species that help maintain open sightlines and the positioning of wayfinding signage that encourages higher public usage.”

Dean says with higher numbers of visitors using Mauao for recreation, fitness or simply relaxing – the presence of more people in the area helps encourage positive behaviour.

'One of the values of the Mauao Trust in association with Mauao is ‘Encouraging behaviour and activities that are mana enhancing towards others including generosity, care, respect and reciprocity'.”

This value in Te Reo: 'Kia whakatītinatia ngā whanonga, ngā mahi hei hāpai I te mana o ētahi atu, a arā te Atawhai, te Aronui, te tākoha atu te tākoha mai”

The group that climbed Mauao in memory of Monica Cantwell in 2021. Photo: Annemarie Quill.

Coulam, who was convicted of murder and assault to commit sexual violation in December 1989 has since been before the parole board a number of times, after becoming eligible for parole in 1999.

He has been diagnosed as having schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism.

Coulam met with the New Zealand Parole Board at the end of July, where it was decided he would be released on August 29, with special conditions.

'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,” says board chairperson Sir Ron Young in a recently released decision.

'In discussing his future with the board, Mr Coulam did not have a good understanding of
the special conditions that had been recommended in the parole assessment report.

'For understandable reasons his focus has been very much on his mental health and the
support that over many years Mason Clinic had given him.

'It is important now that he turn toward Corrections and Community Corrections to understand what support they will give, because they will be the primary organisation who will be responsible for overseeing his care in the future.”

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.

As part of his release, Coulam is subject to 16 special conditions including, not to enter or loiter near any parks, reserves or other area specified in writing, unless prior written approval is given by his probation officer.

He is to reside at an approved address (withheld) and is not to move unless he has written approval from his probation officer, subject however to any admission to hospital under the Mental Health Act

The Parole Board has also issued a nightly curfew, from 7pm to 6am, and says he has to attend any psychological assessment or complete any recommended treatment as directed by a probation officer.

Other conditions include not to possess, use or consume alcohol, controlled drugs or psychoactive substances, except controlled drugs prescribed by a health professional, and to attend a reintegration meeting as directed by a probation officer.

The board says all the special conditions are currently in place for life, and will be reviewed when he appears before the board again for a special monitoring hearing in December.

Monica Cantwell's memorial has two pohutukawa trees and mamuka nearby. Photo: Supplied.