Convicted Child Sex Offender Sues Corrections After Being Jailed for New Offenses

Brad Bowers, a 37-year-old man from Christchurch, has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for posing as a teenage boy on Snapchat to groom and kidnap a 13-year-old girl. Bowers, who is a registered child sex offender, pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, grooming a young person, and failing to adhere to his reporting obligations. He also faces representative charges related to possessing objectionable publications.

The sentencing took place in the High Court, where Justice Rachel Dunningham ruled that Bowers would serve a minimum of three years before being eligible for parole, citing his high risk of reoffending. This decision came after a Crown request for preventative detention was denied.

During the sentencing, the victim, who was kidnapped in January 2024, addressed Bowers directly, saying, “I don’t think you understand how much you’ve affected me.” The young woman described how the incident had changed her life, stating she no longer sees herself as the “bubbly, caring person with potential” she once was.

Bowers, who used the alias Cody Harris, has a long history of sexual offending, with previous convictions in 2007 and 2010. In 2016, he was arrested on Waiheke Island after evading police in Christchurch. He was jailed for 27 months in 2021 for sending thousands of sexually explicit messages to underage girls.

Despite his criminal record, Bowers is now suing Corrections, seeking a written apology and $575,000 in damages. He claims he was “traumatised” by a rehabilitation program at the Kia Marama Unit, a treatment facility at Rolleston Prison for child-sex offenders. Bowers argues that the program caused a “loss of his inherent dignity” and that his human rights were violated during his participation from September 2017 to October 2018.

In addition to his civil claim, Bowers is requesting that Corrections cover the cost of an independent psychologist to treat and rehabilitate him, and he wants a written assurance that the program causing him alleged trauma be discontinued. His civil case against Corrections is set for a hearing in August.

Justice Dunningham’s sentencing remarks were particularly pointed, as she stated, “I’m yet to be convinced that you’ve moved beyond playing the victim.” This sentiment underscores the court’s view that Bowers has not taken full responsibility for his actions.

While the court’s focus remains on protecting victims and ensuring public safety, Bowers’ legal battle with Corrections raises broader questions about the effectiveness and ethical implications of rehabilitation programs for sexual offenders. It also highlights the complex and often contentious nature of justice when dealing with individuals who have committed serious crimes against children.