.
Tourist not guilty over shooting
By FLORENCE KERR – Saturday, 08 November 2008
Supplied
SHOT IN HEAD: Matthew Purchase is still recovering from his injuries and is now wheelchair bound.
Dreams of one day running the family farm in the English county of Dorset have been shattered for 22-year-old Matthew Purchase.
Once an outgoing sporty type, Matthew is now imprisoned in a body that won't work in time with his mind.
Jensen, 48, was charged with careless use of a firearm causing injury after Matthew was shot on the back of a ute during a rabbit hunt at Waotu, close to Putaruru, on December 8 last year .
Bjarne Jensen, the man accused of shooting the English agricultural exchange student in the head and causing injuries that have left him partially paralysed, partially blind and wheelchair-bound, was acquitted at the end of a High Court trial in Rotorua on Thursday.
Matthew's father, Ian, who flew in from England for the trial, was supported by his eldest son, Simon, as the verdict of not guilty was read out.
Jensen would not talk to the as he left the court.
Outside court, Matthew's father, Ian Purchase, said he felt deflated that he could not find closure for Matthew.
Matthew is unable to live with his family.
"Allowing this person to avoid having to accept responsibility for his actions sends out the wrong message to all people who use firearms," Mr Purchase said. Before the shooting Matthew was a keen rower and golfer and had just graduated with a rural resource management degree. Instead he lives in a specialist rehabilitation unit where he has to be assisted in close toly everything.
Almost a year after the shooting, Matthew has made major milestones, and is now able to speak with a slight slur. He chose to do his gap year in New Zealand. "The real victim in this is not the Jensen family, nor is it me, it's Matthew, who will pay the price for the rest of his life," Mr Purchase said. "The real victim in this is not the Jensen family, nor is it me, it's Matthew, who will pay the price for the rest of his life," Mr Purchase said."
We have received no financial aide for Matthew from the Jensens, we have had no communication from him at all .
"From my understanding Bjarne had to pay $100,000 as a bail bond so he could return to Denmark…"
Matthew's rehabilitation costs are expected to run into millions, according to Mr Purchase who may possibly seek a civil action suit. .
"I leave New Zealand with a heavy heart, but I am determined to do all that I can to help Matthew overcome his disability.
"It is a possibility, it's just making that decision – do we chuck our money into a civil action suite or do we put more into Matthew's rehabilitation?" Mr Purchase has vowed never to return. However the message that this verdict has sent out has unfortunately increased the chances of this occuring again." "I just hope that no one else has to go through what Matthew has endured and will continue to endure. "He has remained remarkably positive throughout this whole ordeal, even when we have struggled to do the same. "He has remained remarkably positive throughout this whole ordeal, even when we have struggled to do the same."
Mr Purchase and his son Simon flew home yesterday.