A man responsible for an attempted murder-suicide in Dunedin has been released from prison and is “focused on getting his life on the right track”.
But the woman, who in March 2019 was locked inside a caravan and told she was going to die by 47-year-old Blair Wiremu Tamihana, has questioned the genuineness of his sentiments.
“I still fear for my safety,” she said. “He has never been sincere.”
The woman, whose name is permanently suppressed, said she now had an alarm installed in her house and wore a GPS pendant because of her ongoing worries.
Tamihana was jailed for three years and eight months in 2020 and was originally paroled in January last year.
In breach of his conditions, the parolee consumed alcohol and travelled a significant distance to meet his victim.
He was locked up to resume serving his sentence and last month the Parole Board again granted his release, this time to his family’s home in Christchurch.
Panel convener Serina Bailey said Tamihana would receive “wraparound support” in the community.
He had been in an 11-month relationship with the victim when he took her to the Portobello Village Tourist Park, where he was staying in 2019.
Portobello Village Tourist Park outside Dunedin. Photo / Otago Daily Times
He was on bail at the time and barred from contact with her.
After stabbing himself in the stomach with a hunting knife, Tamihana swallowed nine prescription painkillers and then ordered his then partner to take one.
He disabled her cellphone, turned the gas stove on, and parked his vehicle hard up against the caravan door before climbing back in through a bathroom window.
The victim said she often recalled the chilling moment when he told her she was going to die that night.
After waiting for Tamihana to pass out, though, she escaped through the window and alerted authorities.
He told the Parole Board he had no plans to see the victim again.
“He ... is satisfied with that last contact and has no future desire to contact her and appreciates he now has too much to lose if he does so,” Bailey said.
While behind bars, Tamihana had completed drug counselling and the board heard he had started one-on-one sessions with a psychologist which could continue outside the prison setting.
“Mr Tamihana spoke with the board today and appears to be very focused on getting his life on the right track this time round,” Bailey said.
The prisoner had been transferred to Rolleston Prison from Christchurch Men’s Prison because of what he described as “a few hard times”.
Bailey said his decision to remove himself from a risky situation was a good sign.
Among Tamihana’s parole conditions were: Not to enter the West Coast region; to submit to electronic monitoring; to live at an address approved by Probation; to inform Probation of any changes in employment; to attend assessments and any treatment as directed; not to possess alcohol or non-prescription drugs; not to contact victims; and to inform probation of changes to relationship status.
