26/03/2009

New Zealand Teen Jailed For Tourist Murder

A New Zealand teenager has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a Scottish tourist last year.

Jahche Broughton, 15, will spend at least 12 years in jail after confessing to beating 27-year-old Karen Aim to death in the resort town of Taupo on 17 January 2008.

Ms Aim died in hospital shortly after the attack in the North Island resort. She was found by police called to investigate a vandalism spree at Taupo Nui a Tia College.

A post mortem examination revealed she died of head injuries inflicted with a baseball bat which was later found at the 15-year-old's house.

Broughton was told by the High Court at Rotorua he would serve a minimum of twelve-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.

He was also sentenced to six years to run concurrently for injuring a 17-year-old woman with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm, in a separate incident which took place two weeks before Ms Aim's murder.

Broughton, who was 14 when he carried out the murder, was committed for trial following a hearing at Taupo Youth Court last September.

Ms Aim's parents, Brian and Peggy, from Holm in Orkney, travelled to New Zealand in February for proceedings against Broughton.

After the teenager pleaded guilty, Mr Aim responded: "I would have been so proud to take Karen down the isle in her wedding dress.

"Instead I took her down the isle in her coffin.

"Jahche will never know how much he was taken from us in one moment's madness."

He added: "He has taken away Karen's life. He has also destroyed his own life. Anger, revenge, would only destroy my own life and I do still feel sorry for him."

Ms Aim had lived in New Zealand for three months in 2006 and had returned to work in the gallery and café of a glass-blowing factory in Taupo.

(JM/BMcC)

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