Abandoned trial called ludicrous

The father of Australian shearer Matthew Larkins, who died after he was assaulted in Hastings earlier this year, has spoken out over the abandoned trial of one of the youths who was accused of the attack.

John Larkins, speaking from his home in Kyneton, Victoria, said he thought the collapse of Monday's trial in the High Court at Napier was "ludicrous".

"I don't know as much as I should about New Zealand law, but I thought it was more or less an insult to my son," Mr Larkins said.

The trial of a 16-year-old youth was abandoned after the Crown was unable to offer sufficient evidence to proceed with it.

The youth faced charges of being a party to manslaughter and assaulting a female witness to the attack on Matthew Larkins.

Justice John Wild told the jury some of the Crown's key witnesses had failed to "make themselves available" for the trial.

Defence lawyer Steve Manning then applied to have his client discharged, which effectively meant an acquittal on the charges he faced.

Mr Larkins said he had only praise for the New Zealand police, who had kept him updated as the two youths charged in relation to the assault progressed through the court system.

"I've never been one for revenge, but when something like this happens you start to wonder. I'm sure the New Zealand police are very frustrated by this whole thing, too."

Mr Manning succeeded yesterday with an application to have the youth's name permanently suppressed.

The youth who struck Matthew Larkins, George Junior Edwards, 16, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and last month was sentenced to two years in prison.

- NZPA