A Christchurch charity that fought to keep its name secret after rehousing killer Joseph Brider can now be named.

Brider, who was on parole, was placed in a property owned by the Pathway Trust, following a decision made by the Corrections Department.

Juliana Bonilla-Herrera was murdered by her neighbor Brider in her Addington flat in January 2022.

Unbeknown to her, Brider was on parole for serious sexual violence offences. Less than three months after his release, Brider attacked Bonilla-Herrera as she slept in her bed.

The Supreme Court decision upheld an earlier Court of Appeal ruling that quashed a High Court order granting name suppression to the Pathway Trust.

NZME and Stuff, along with the Crown, opposed the suppression and sought to publish the charity’s name.

The Pathway Trust had argued that naming the charity in connection with Brider’s crime would cause undue hardship by damaging its reputation and affecting its ability to secure donations.

However, the Court found that the connection between the charity and the offending was not incidental and that the public interest in the case outweighed the potential harm to the charity.

The Court said that the charity’s involvement in Brider’s rehabilitation was a matter of public interest, particularly given its work with the Department of Corrections.

The Court accepted that decisions about Brider’s accommodation, his release conditions and public notification ultimately rested with the Department of Corrections and the Parole Board, and that there may very well be nothing for which the applicant should be held accountable.

But it found there was still a “clear public interest” in the applicant’s role, arising from its involvement in Department of Corrections processes and its work with Brider.

It also noted that the charity could mitigate any negative impact by communicating directly with its supporters and that the media could provide a balanced view.

In statement sent to chrislynchmedia.com Pathway Reintegration Spokesperson  Anaru Baynes said pathway remains deeply shocked and saddened by the death of Juliana Bonilla-Herrera, who lost her life on 22 January 2022 at the hands of Joseph Brider, a participant in one of our reintegration programmes.

“More than two years on, our deepest sympathies and condolences remain with her family and friends. In June 2021 Joseph Brider entered our reintegration programme at Christchurch Men’s Prison, being based there for approximately five months until his release in November.

“The programme is a collaboration between Pathway Reintegration and the Department of Corrections, aimed at preparing prisoners for release into the community.

“The Parole Board approved the release of Joseph Brider to an address in Addington which was leased by Pathway Reintegration to provide post-release support to people returning to the community from prison. Ms Bonilla-Herrera was a tenant in a neighbouring property.

“Joseph Brider’s release conditions were determined by the Parole Board and he was managed by Community Corrections. Corrections is responsible for managing the
compliance of offenders with their conditions.

“Pathway’s work within Christchurch Men’s Prison focuses on preparing individuals who are about to re-enter the community after completing their sentence. Then, once in the community, we provide support designed to lessen their chances of reoffending and help
them to rebuild their lives.

“Joseph Brider betrayed Pathway’s values, everyone who was involved in his rehabilitation and the community, by committing a deplorable crime.

While Joseph Brider chose not to make a genuine fresh start, there are many men and women re-entering our community from prison every year, and they benefit from practical support in order to reverse the cycle of reoffending many are caught in.”