Parents are blamed over teenager who killed Karen Aim

By Jane Bradley
Published on Thursday 1 December 2011 02:03

THE parents of a New Zealand teenager who murdered Scottish tourist Karen Aim have come under fire from the coroner carrying out the inquest into the case for not keeping an eye on their son.

Ms Aim, 27, from the Orkney Islands, was battered with a baseball bat just yards from her home in New Zealand in January 2008 by 14-year-old Jache Broughton.

Ms Aim, who had been working in the New Zealand town of Taupo, was walking home alone about 2am after a night out with friends when she was attacked.

She later died of head injuries in Taupo Hospital.

At the inquest yesterday, coroner Dr Wallace Bain said: “At the bottom of it all is the lack of parental supervision. It has completely failed in this case.”

He added: “That Karen Aim had felt safe enough to walk alone and then be attacked near her home, and treated with indignities by a young man, is just awful and sends an awful message overseas of New Zealand.”

Ms Aim’s parents, Peggy and Brian Aim, said they believe they will never discover why she died at the hands of 14-year-old Jache Broughton.

Mr Aim said: “I think he was in a temper and Karen happened to walk by. I would still like to know why he did it.”

A year after the incident, Broughton admitted the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment – with a minimum non-parole period of 12 and a half years.

Ms Aim’s parents chose not to attend the inquest.

However, a family friend who represented them told how the couple longed to know why Broughton committed the brutal murder.

Mr Aim agreed with Dr Bain’s judgment that a lack of supervision by Broughton’s parents had contributed to the murder.

Mr Bain reserved his findings but intimated his report would be critical of the teenager being allowed to roam alone late at night. He also questioned whether Broughton was high on drugs or drunk at the time.

Mr Bain added: “No rational, normal person could have done this without being away with the fairies or on something.”

Broughton was put under police surveillance the day after the murder. Search warrants were issued and Ms Aim’s digital camera, a bloodstained baseball bat, bicycle and charred remains of her handbag where found at a house where he was living with his grandparents.

He was later charged with a serious attack on a second young woman, which police were investigating at the time of Ms Aim’s death.

Just 12 days earlier, he struck Zara Schofield several times with a rock, inflicting serious brain injuries.

An Aim family friend told how Karen’s parents hold no grudge against Taupo or New Zealand.