Wife poisoner Colin Bouwer deported

Colin Bouwer, the psychiatrist who killed his wife with poison, has been deported back to South Africa.

An Immigration New Zealand (INZ) spokesman confirmed the 67-year-old had been deported days before his scheduled departure of October 11.

The department also cancelled his residency visa.

‘‘For legal and privacy reasons INZ can make no further comment,’’ the spokesman said.

Bouwer’s lawyer David More said on Monday he was not aware his client had been deported.

Last month, Bouwer was granted parole on the condition he be released into the custody of police for ‘‘immediate deportation from New Zealand’’.

The last parole report noted Bouwer had acknowledged that while he disagreed with official information – particularly relating to his motives in causing the death of his wife, Annette Bouwer – he had intentionally taken her life, which was a criminal act.

That report also noted that Bouwer ‘‘become tearful and expressed shame and guilt associated with his behaviour’’ during a discussion with his psychologist.

In November 2001, a jury took less than three hours to find Bouwer guilty of murdering his wife.

The trial court heard how over many weeks Bouwer had administered drugs to his wife, seeking to replicate the onset of disease, so her death would seem to be due to illness.

He was sentenced in the High Court at Christchurch to life imprisonment and has served his non-parole period of 15 years.

The former University of Otago head of psychiatry committed the crime within two years of being granted a New Zealand residence permit. He was served a deportation order in 2002, which he opposed.

Bouwer was arrested on September 15, 2000, after a lengthy police investigation that included surveillance of his phone calls.

Nursing honour

A national primary care award has gone to a South Canterbury nurse. The New Zealand College of Primary Health Care Nurses has given its Tall Poppy Award to Kim Carter, who works at Timaru’s Wood St Surgery. South Canterbury District Health Board (SCDHB) associate director patient, nursing and midwifery Anna Wheeler said the award recognised nurses who showed ‘‘distinguished leadership and clinical excellence’’, with the winner also receiving $1000 to support further learning and development. Wheeler said Carter was a nurse who everyone could be ‘‘very proud of’’. ‘‘Her dedication to role modelling clinical excellence, supporting the development of the primary health care nursing role and advocating for the economic understanding of primary care, both locally and nationally, contributed to the success of receiving this award’’, Wheeler said.

Push to seek help

With the country celebrating mental health awareness week, farmers are being encouraged to talk through issues and feelings. The week’s theme is Nature is Key - Unlock Your Wellbeing. Federated Farmers President Katie Milne said the country’s ‘‘great outdoors can also be a wonderful tonic’’. However, for rural residents, Mother Nature could be a source of considerable stress. ‘‘If you let it, farming can be a lonely job too,’’ Milne said.

New system

It’s hoped a new system will save South Canterbury District Health Board (SCDHB) staff time when recording workplace incidents. SCDHB health, safety and wellbeing manager Pete Moore said previously it had taken 17 minutes to log an event in the Employee Incident Form on its Safety 1st records system. Changes to the form meant it now took seven minutes, Moore said. ‘‘In addition to removing irrelevant fields, and sections, the number of options in the drop down lists have also been reduced. The number of specific event type options have been reduced from 22 to 13, while the number of immediate actions options have reduced from 17 to 4.’’

Police notebook

Incidents reported to police yesterday include:

A Timaru man was arrested and charged with disorderly behaviour and threatening to kill following a family violence incident on Somerset St, Timaru, at 2am on October 7.

Police enquiries are continuing into the cause of a nose-to-tail crash on Evans St at 11.50am on October 7. Nobody was injured in the crash.

A Timaru man was arrested and charged with assaulting two women and a man during an incident on Arthur St, Timaru, at 9.30pm on October 7.

A 21-year-old Timaru man who was seen driving on the wrong side off the road along North St, Timaru, was stopped by police on Pages Rd at 8.55pm on October 8. A roadside breath test produced a result on 1314mcg of alcohol per litre of breath and he was processed for driving with excess breath alcohol and dangerous driving.