This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7214466.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Funeral of backpacker to be held | Funeral of backpacker to be held |
(about 7 hours later) | |
An island community is preparing to gather to say goodbye to murdered backpacker Karen Aim. | |
The 26-year-old from Orkney was attacked as she made her way home from a night out in Taupo, New Zealand. | |
Miss Aim's body arrived back in Holm on mainland Orkney on Sunday night after a 12,000 mile journey by air and sea. | |
Mourners will gather at the town's East Mainland Church for her funeral service. A service attended by Ms Aim's aunt will also be held in Taupo. | |
Violet Perfect, who lives in New Zealand, described her neice as a shining light. | |
'Unimaginable terror' | |
She added: "Whenever Karen stayed with us, the whole house changed as if a light had been switched on. She absolutely buzzed with life. | |
"Now her bright light has been cruelly snuffed out. She died in unimaginable terror and pain after being savagely beaten on a street corner. | |
"As for her family, a piece of them will have died with her. They have been condemned to live without her, remembering how she died. | |
"The killers, hopefully, will be caught but justice will never be done." | |
A murder inquiry was launched into Ms Aim's death after she was found fatally injured in the street. | |
Police have released new CCTV images of a cyclist at the college | |
The investigation, led by Detective Sergeant Greg Turner, has focused on a group who vandalised a nearby college. | |
Six windows were smashed at the Taupo Nui-A-Tia College close to the time Miss Aim was assaulted and the vandals have yet to come forward. | |
Police have released two photos taken from security footage at the college at 0206 and 0210 local time on 17 January. | |
Mr Turner said the images, which show a person riding a bike in the college grounds, were recorded at about the time it is believed the school buildings were damaged. | |
Miss Aim would have been in the area around this time, he said. | |
She had been in New Zealand since October and had been working at a nearby geothermal village. | |
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested, but is not being connected directly to the attack. |