Flatmate charged as boyfriend appears for first time since Pheobe vanished

The male housemate of missing teen Pheobe Bishop has been spotted for the first time since her disappearance, as it was revealed his partner had been living in a bus outside his Gin Gin home.

The male housemate of missing teenager Pheobe Bishop has been spotted for the first time since the teen’s disappearance.

James Wood was at Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday to support partner Tanika Kristan Bromley, 33, who has been charged with two counts of authority required to possess explosives, and one count each of possessing/acquiring restricted items and unlawful possession of weapons.

Police allegedly located a shortened firearm, ammunition, and two replica handguns during a search of a grey Hyundai ix35 at the centre of the 17-year-old’s disappearance.

Police also found further ammunition at their Gin Gin home, both of which had been declared crime scenes.

Tanika Bromley and Pheobe Bishop.

Bromley was arrested in Milbank on May 25.

Bromley appeared in Bundaberg Magistrates Court charged with two counts of authority to possess explosives, one count of possessing/acquiring registered Items; and one count of unlawful possession of weapons category H – Short firearm in public

The fresh charges come one week after Bromley appeared before the same court for similar weapons charges on May 12.

Bromley, a mother of two, stifled tears while her application for bail was read to the court.

Police prosecutor, Vikki Kennedy-Grills, presented part of their objection to bail application which made mention of the ongoing investigation into Pheobe Bishop’s disappearance (mentioned in court as the investigation).

Alexandra Sanders, Bromley’s defence said the investigation should not be a reason to reject the application for bail.

Ms Kennedy-Grills said Bromley had not been truthful in her bail application, the court heard she listed a stable address for her to move to if granted bail; Sgt Kennedy-Grills said the mother of two was homeless and lived in a bus at the front of the Gin Gin property, which has been subject the ongoing investigation.

The 2011 Hyundai ix35 where the weapons were allegedly found.

The court heard, at the time of the 17-year-old’s disappearance, Bromley had plans to move out.

“She effectively has been homeless … she’s been out of home at the time of the disappearance of the other person … she was homeless moving off the property with the other person,” Ms Kennedy-Grills said of Bromley.

Police allege homemade weapons, which included an old-fashioned non-operable homemade shotgun and a slam-gun style weapon, were found on the Gin Gin property and belonged to Bromley.

The court heard she has shared custody of two children aged 13 and 11, one of whom requires specialised care.

She has a limited criminal history

In his deliberations, Magistrate John McInnes said the mother of two’s “notoriety would make it hard for her to lay low”.

Bromley broke down crying as Magistrate McInnes said he would adjourn the matter to May 27, until more information could be presented to the court.

Mr Wood’s appearance at the court is the first time he’s been spotted publicly since Ms Bishop’s disappearance.

James Wood flatmate of missing Gin Gin girl Pheobe Bishop pictured outside the Bundaberg Court.

Mr Wood was sporting dyed blonde hair and a large beard.

Outside court he was asked if he had anything to say on Ms Bishop’s disappearance, to which he responded “no comment”.

Ms Bishop, 17, was due to fly from Bundaberg to Brisbane and then on to Western Australia to visit a friend on May 15, but failed to board the flight.

Police have been searching bushland within the Good Night Scrub National Park south of Gin Gin for the last three days, with a police cadaver dog joining the search at the scene on Sunday.

Cadaver dogs are specially trained to locate human remains.

There were three cadaver dogs at the scene on Monday.

Multiple SES and police crews remained on the scene Monday, searching through a dirt track off Gayndah Rd.

The search site where cadaver dogs had been led through on Monday had changed from an initial site still taped off by police to further down Gayndah Rd.

Multiple SES volunteers also returned on Monday to search, heading to the police beat vehicle behind the taped off search area.

Police have not made any arrests in relation to Ms Bishop’s disappearance, and there’s no suggestion that Mr Wood or Ms Bromley were involved in her disappearance.