The family of Adelaide man Michael Purse have learnt "brutal" details about the 32-year-old's death while confronting his killers in court.
Key points:
- Michael Purse went missing in April 2019 and his remains have never been found
- Two men have pleaded guilty to his manslaughter
- A third man charged with murder has pleaded not guilty
David Graham Young, 41, and Edwin James Hinrichsen, 39, pleaded guilty to Mr Purse's manslaughter in February this year, almost four years after he was declared missing in April 2019.
Mr Purse's remains have never been recovered.
Mark-Bry Andrew Leedham, 26, who is charged with Mr Purse's murder, has maintained his plea of not guilty.
During sentencing submissions for Young and Hinrichsen in SA's Supreme Court, prosecutor Michael Foundas said it would be alleged at Mr Leedham's trial that Mr Purse was taken to Young's unit, where he was stabbed in the torso and strangled with a telephone cord by Mr Leedham.
The court heard that Hinrichsen stomped on the chest of Mr Purse — whose hands were bound with duct tape — during the assault and that Young repeatedly punched the 32-year-old before placing him in a headlock.
Young has admitted to disposing of Mr Purse's body "after several unsuccessful attempts".
Mr Foundas told the court that neither Young nor Hinrichsen previously knew Mr Purse.
Mr Purse's mother, Donna Ipers, travelled from Germany to confront Young and Hinrichsen in court and said she could never forgive them until her son's remains were found.
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life waiting for a call to confirm if remains that have been found are [those] of Michael," Ms Ipers said.
"There can be no healing or working through the grief without Michael's remains, no funeral and no place to visit."
Holding back tears, Ms Ipers told the court that the two men kept silent even when her family begged for information, and that their guilty pleas on the eve of when they were scheduled to face trial were prompted by self-interest.
"It appears to me the purpose of taking Michael's life was to have him gone from your lives," she said.
"But what you have done has made it so that Michael is with you and your families forever."
Speaking outside court, Mr Purse's father Jeff described his emotions after hearing how his son was killed.
"It was actually brutal – it was horrific what happened," Mr Purse said.
"I don't think there will ever be any healing."
Both Young and Hinrichsen wrote a letter of apology, which the family have chosen not to accept.
In her victim impact statement, Mr Purse's younger sister, Kelly, told the court that her brother was never given a chance to reach his full potential.
"He never got to meet my husband, he didn't get to be at my wedding, he will not be at my university graduation," Ms Purse said.
"There are decades of moments with my brother that I have been robbed of."
Hinrichsen's lawyer, Angus Redford, told South Australia's Chief Justice Chris Kourakis that the 39-year-old was "deeply remorseful" for his actions and that he had been on a "meth binge" when he helped carry out the attack.
Young's lawyer, Jeff Powell, told the court that the 41-year-old was also a meth user and had become "genuinely racked with guilt".
The court previously heard that Mr Purse's body was put in a hatchback car that was detected driving north of Adelaide by traffic cameras.
He was reported missing in April 2019, with his disappearance declared a major crime months later.
The 32-year-old was born in Toowoomba but moved to Adelaide several years before his death.
His father said he does not expect to feel any closure when the pair are sentenced at a later date.
"Michael got a life sentence out of this — they're just going to get a brief period of their time incarcerated," Mr Purse said.
"Michael's had his life taken, that's his sentence."
"hear" - Google News
August 29, 2023 at 03:58PM
https://ift.tt/lDBAMbL
Michael Purse's family hear 'brutal' details about his death during manslaughter sentencing submissions - ABC News
"hear" - Google News
https://ift.tt/qhpGL1E
https://ift.tt/eF1P0Ru
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Michael Purse's family hear 'brutal' details about his death during manslaughter sentencing submissions - ABC News"
Post a Comment