New Zealand Parole Board -

Parole Hearing

Under section 21(2) of the Parole Act 2002

Charles John COULAM

Hearing: 9 August 2019

at Auckland South Corrections Facility

Members of the Board:

• Sir Ron Young – Chairperson
• Ms T Williams Blyth
• Dr J Skipworth
• Mr A Hackney

Observers:

• [withheld]

DECISION OF THE BOARD

1. Charles John Coulam is 49 years of age. He was convicted of murder and assault with intent to commit sexual violation, all in 1989. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. He had no relevant previous convictions when he was convicted.
2. We last saw him in August 2019. He has been subject to a Compulsory Treatment Order for some 30 years residing at [withheld] since his original conviction.
3. The August 2018 Board noted that he had been well for many years and there was a beginning of a transition into the community and they asked for a further updated forensic report as to risk, for the next appearance.
4. Today, we have that forensic report. Some of it has been overtaken by more recent events in Mr Coulam’s life. Mr Coulam has had two overnight leaves at [withheld], looking toward a potential release to that organisation or another possible release to the [withheld].
5. The forensic report noted that Mr Coulam had been taking his medication and is well settled. He had regular sessions with a psychologist relating to his sexual conduct.
6. The report stressed the importance of a structured release programme. The programme then proposed was a slow series of increasing overnight releases to [withheld].
7. However, an event has intervened, as we indicated, which has put back Mr Coulam’s progress. He says about three or four weeks ago he was found to be using his phone to access the internet, and had been looking at pornography. There appear to have been a number of views over two weeks with the search engine indicating increasingly explicit viewing of sexual conduct although our impression is that it would not be said to be deviant conduct. Mr Coulam himself did not volunteer the information that he had been using the internet to access pornographic material. He was simply caught on a review of electronic equipment within [withheld].
8. As a result of being caught, shortly after it seems, Mr Coulam looked at his safety plan/management plan at [withheld]. The plan had a prohibition against viewing pornography. He decided the appropriate course was to remove the identification of viewing pornography as a safety risk for him. He did not tell anyone or consult with anyone in charge.
9. Overall, we think this conduct is concerning especially the latter aspect. In those circumstances, [withheld] are going to review his further risk. Mr Coulam tells us that will happen early next week.
10. Mr Coulam remains an undue risk and cannot in the meantime be released.  We will see him again in nine months time, in May 2020 which will be in person at an Extended Board. At that time we hope to have a further risk assessment from [withheld] and secondly an updated report on what is happening for Mr Coulam at [withheld], especially whether his releases to [withheld] have begun again.