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- Feb 12, 2007
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A teenager who brutally murdered a British tourist in New Zealand has been sentenced to life in prison.
Karen Aim, 26, was killed while walking home from a night out with friends in the North Island resort town of Taupo.
Jahche Broughton, now 15, admitted beating her to death with a baseball bat in the savage attack in January last year.
He was told by the High Court at Rotorua in New Zealand that he would serve a minimum of 12-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.
Broughton was also sentenced to six years to run concurrently for injuring a 17-year-old woman with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.
This was a separate incident which took place two weeks before Karen's murder.
Karen's father Brian told the court he had looked forward to walking his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day but had instead found himself walking with her coffin.
After sentencing he said he felt sorry for Broughton.
"He has taken away Karen's life, but he has also destroyed his own," he said.
"If I go down the road of anger and revenge that would only destroy my life."
CCTV images showed Karen, from Orkney, Scotland, visiting a BP garage at 2am after leaving a bar.
She was later found lying semi-conscious in a pool of blood but was able to tell officers her name.
She died from serious head injuries in hospital and a team of 50 officers began a murder investigation.
Broughton was initially arrested in connection with a different attack.
A search of his home uncovered a camera similar to Karen's, along with a black handbag in an incinerator.
Officers also discovered a baseball bat with blood and glass embedded in it under the house.
Mr Aim said he talked to Broughton's mother last Friday but did not know if he believed her claim that her son killed Karen to get money for drugs.
He said it did not make sense as he could not believe Broughton would think his daughter had a lot of money.
Mr Aim, his wife Peggy and son Allan are returning home to the Orkney Islands after travelling to New Zealand for the sentencing.
Karen had been on her second visit to New Zealand after a three-month stay in 2006 and was working at a glass-blowing gallery in the resort town.
Her death rocked her home community of Orkney, and hundreds gathered for her funeral on the island.
Source: SkyNews
Karen Aim, 26, was killed while walking home from a night out with friends in the North Island resort town of Taupo.
Jahche Broughton, now 15, admitted beating her to death with a baseball bat in the savage attack in January last year.
He was told by the High Court at Rotorua in New Zealand that he would serve a minimum of 12-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.
Broughton was also sentenced to six years to run concurrently for injuring a 17-year-old woman with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.
This was a separate incident which took place two weeks before Karen's murder.
Karen's father Brian told the court he had looked forward to walking his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day but had instead found himself walking with her coffin.
After sentencing he said he felt sorry for Broughton.
"He has taken away Karen's life, but he has also destroyed his own," he said.
"If I go down the road of anger and revenge that would only destroy my life."
CCTV images showed Karen, from Orkney, Scotland, visiting a BP garage at 2am after leaving a bar.
She was later found lying semi-conscious in a pool of blood but was able to tell officers her name.
She died from serious head injuries in hospital and a team of 50 officers began a murder investigation.
Broughton was initially arrested in connection with a different attack.
A search of his home uncovered a camera similar to Karen's, along with a black handbag in an incinerator.
Officers also discovered a baseball bat with blood and glass embedded in it under the house.
Mr Aim said he talked to Broughton's mother last Friday but did not know if he believed her claim that her son killed Karen to get money for drugs.
He said it did not make sense as he could not believe Broughton would think his daughter had a lot of money.
Mr Aim, his wife Peggy and son Allan are returning home to the Orkney Islands after travelling to New Zealand for the sentencing.
Karen had been on her second visit to New Zealand after a three-month stay in 2006 and was working at a glass-blowing gallery in the resort town.
Her death rocked her home community of Orkney, and hundreds gathered for her funeral on the island.
Source: SkyNews
