The killer who murdered Scottish backpacker Karen Aim in New Zealand has lost his bid to be released from prison.
Jahche Broughton was just 14 when he beat Miss Aim to death with a baseball bat.
The 26-year-old, from Orkney, had been on her way home after a night out with friends on January 17, 2008, in Taupo, on New Zealand’s North Island.
In 2009 Broughton was jailed for life for killing Miss Aim but earlier this month it was revealed he had applied for parole.
He appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board last week but they have now refused his request for release.
The hearing was told a psychological report carried out on Broughton earlier this year concluded he “posed a very high risk of violent reoffending”.
At his sentencing Broughton, now 27, had insisted he did not kill Miss Aim.
He said he pled guilty because he was there at the time but insisted a gang member called “Brian” carried out the murder.
However, at the parole board hearing he admitted he was solely responsible for killing her.
He read letters sent to the board from Miss Aim’s family and said he was “very sorry for his actions”.
The parole board ordered Broughton to undergo an intensive rehabilitation programme behind bars and said he had “much work” to do before he would be considered for parole.
Issuing their decision, board convener Neville Trendle said: “Mr Broughton has provided differing accounts over the years with respect to Ms Aim’s death.
“Prior to the hearing the board received submissions from members of Ms Aim’s family. In accordance with the provisions of the Parole Act they were shown to Mr Broughton.
“He told us that he was very sorry for his actions.”
Broughton’s case will be reassessed in 18 months.
Several days before Miss Aim’s murder, Broughton attacked Zara Schofield with a rock.
She needed 30 staples and extra stitches to her head.
In early 2018, around the tenth anniversary of the murder, Miss Aim’s father Brian said he would campaign against any bid for freedom by Broughton.
He told the Press and Journal that he felt a “duty to try to keep him behind bars”.
At the time, Mr Aim said: “I wonder if he is safe to put back into society again, as he committed these two violent acts.”
And reflecting on the sombre milestone, Mr Aim said that he and his wife, Peggy, and son, Alan, did their best to keep Miss Aim’s memory alive.
He added: “Sometimes it feels like Karen has been gone for longer than 10 years, as we miss her so much, but in other ways it feels like it has gone quickly.
“Peggy and myself speak about Karen every day, and joke about the sayings she had when she was younger.
“Her spirit is with us all the time, and that helps to keep us sane.”
Mr Aim died, aged 61, in November that year. Miss Aim’s mother Peggy declined to comment on the parole board’s decision.
