Prison term ‘Nothing sinister’ after human remains discovered for kidnap of girlfriend
A farm worker who terrorised, kidnapped and assaulted his partner has been jailed.
Richard Wade Bowman, of Toko, was charged with theft, threatening to kill, male assaults female, kidnapping and assaults with intent to injure.
According to the summary of facts, Bowman and his partner were living on a farm in Tihoi, near Taupo, in early December 2015.
The victim told Bowman she wanted to move back to Taranaki, something he was unhappy about. Angry, he forced her on to the back of his motorbike and rode off, threatening to kill her.
The victim managed to get free and attempted to run away but Bowman chased her on the motorbike, driving straight through a fence in an effort to catch up to her.
He grabbed her and took her back to the house, making her stay there until milking time. However, when she had the chance, she called her employer for help. The victim’s employer then gave her a ride to Taranaki.
On January 12 this year, Bowman turned up at her Kapuni address when she was not at home and began to cook dinner.
When she arrived at 5pm, Bowman became angry at her after she said she was tired.
‘‘The victim went to take a shower and the defendant followed her, continually turning off the water at the tap and standing in front of the shower cubicle to prevent her from leaving,’’ the summary said.
He finally relented and let her shower, but after she finished he pushed her on to the bed and grabbed her legs.
‘‘Don’t cry or I’ll break your back and you can be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life,’’ Bowman threatened his partner while she cried out in pain.
The following day, Bowman came to check on the victim, who told him she wanted to end their relationship.
Again, Bowman got angry, yelled at the victim and dragged her outside against her will. He bundled her into a car and drove towards Okaiawa, continually threatening the woman.
Terrified, the victim tried to alert a passing driver that she needed help and when Bowman spotted the same vehicle following them, he returned back to Kapuni.
He then took the victim’s phone and wallet. He also demanded she hand over a gold ring she was wearing, which had belonged to her grandmother. After she said no, Bowman twisted her arm up her back and forced the ring off her finger. He then threw it back at her as he drove off.
The 23-year-old was arrested in Waverley the following day.
At a court hearing in New Plymouth District Court on May 13, Crown prosecutor Stephanie Simpkin sought a jail term of between three and three years, four months’ jail for the offending, which she said was premeditated and had caused significant harm to the victim.
Bowman’s lawyer, Kylie Pascoe, said while she accepted violence was used, it was at the minor to moderate level. She considered jail time of between two to two years and four months was appropriate.
The defendant was given a sentencing indication by Judge Chris Sygrove during his last appearance in court, which he accepted on Monday.
After entering guilty pleas, Bowman was jailed for two years and six months. More human remains have been discovered during a police search of a South Canterbury beach.
Search and rescue personnel began combing the beach, at the end of Aorangi Rd near Washdyke, after the discovery of detached leg bones and a foot in a boot on Wednesday.
Police have confirmed they are not treating the death as suspicious.
Mid/South Canterbury Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said more human remains were discovered on the beach on Wednesday.
He could not confirm the specific nature of the remains, but said they were being taken to Christchurch where an autopsy would be completed.
‘‘We’re treating this as an unexplained death, rather than anything sinister,’’ he said.
A member of the public found the remains and handed them into the Timaru police station on Wednesday. While people would usually call police to the scene in similar situations, Gaskin said people had handed in body parts to the station in the past.
The grisly discovery comes weeks after South Canterbury man Darryl McNee, 44, was reported missing.
McNee’s Mazda 323 stationwagon was found at the end of Connolly Road, Seadown, on May 1. A search of the area surrounding his vehicle and along the beach had not found any sign of him.
Gaskin could not confirm if police believed the remains belonged to McNee.
Detective Senior Sergeant Richard Quested said McNee’s case was still an open file.
‘‘We’re still obviously trying to find him and trying to find out what happened to him.’’
Gaskin said he was only aware of one missing person case in the area in recent times. There were about 70 open missing person cases in South Canterbury in total.