New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Charles John COULAM

Hearing: 10 August 2018

at Auckland Men’s Prison

via AVL from Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility

Members of the Board:

• Mr N Trendle (Panel Convenor)
• Dr J Skipworth
• Ms G Hughes
• Mr L Comer

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Charles John Coulam is serving a sentence of life imprisonment imposed on 19 December 1989 for murder. He was the subject of a compulsory treatment order and for nearly 30 years he has been in the care of mental health authorities. He is presently in [withheld] and the reports made available to us, from his responsible clinician, outlines the progress that Mr Coulam has made.
2. There have been no further manifestations of violent or sexual behaviour, or thinking, for many years. He has completed group programmes to deal with offence-related matters and there has been no evidence of any relapse of a psychotic illness that initially led to the making of the compulsory treatment order. He is co-operative with staff, he has insight into his mental health. His medication regime is settled and he is compliant with it.  He has been in the [withheld] Unit for the last six months and we were told, today, that the plan is, with the leave of the Director General of Mental Health, for Mr Coulam to transition to supported accommodation.
3. Mr Coulam accepts that there will be an ongoing need for him to comply with medication.  He is hopeful that he will receive approval to transition into supported accommodation three nights a week.
4. Having regard to his long history of compliance and the absence of fantasies and other indications that may give the Board concern we regard the proposed pathway is an appropriate transition for Mr Coulam.
5. Mr Coulam was supported at the Board meeting by staff from [withheld] Unit.  They confirmed the information before the Board from [withheld] report. Mr Coulam, himself, is highly motivated to prepare himself for return to the community at some point, to lead a pro-social life. He contrasted his current thinking with his position at the time of his offending.  He thought he should be seen by the Board again in 12 months.
6. Parole today is formerly declined. We acknowledge the progress Mr Coulam is making and will schedule him to return to the Board in 12 months, for further consideration.  For that hearing the Board would be assisted by a forensic psychiatric assessment as to Mr Coulam’s risk. Having regard to his present location, the Board requests that assessment to prepared by a psychiatrist independent of [withheld].