Coromandel shooting: Victim Kevin Mabbott’s mother thanks friends, family for support

The mother of Coromandel shooting victim Kevin Mabbott has thanked her friends and family for their support three weeks after the death of the 41-year-old father.

• The mother of the man shot dead in Coromandel has thanked family and friends for their support.
• Jane Mabbott said the last three weeks have been a haze.
• Stuart Edmondson pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder.

The mother of Coromandel shooting victim Kevin Mabbott has thanked friends and family for their support three weeks after the 41-year-old father of three died.

Mabbott was shot dead and another man injured on a remote Coromandel road on December 13.

A local man, 77-year-old Stuart Edmondson, has pleaded not guilty to their murder and attempted murder.

Now Mabbott’s mother Jane has offered a “big heartfelt thank you” for the community’s support after “a son, brother, dad to five sons, uncle, nephew and mate to many” lost his life.

“From the house cleaning to having a beautiful place for our son to lie at home for a couple of days, the food, cards, messages, baking, organising everything and everyone, to his final farewell we bless you,” she said.

Jane said the last three weeks had been a haze.

The mother of Coromandel shooting victim Kevin Mabbott has thanked her friends and family for their support three weeks after the death of the 41-year-old father.

“We have a trial to get through also. So long tough times still ahead, most days are hard to get through and we/I especially struggle,” she said.

“We are so grateful for friends [sic] family and our community, so blessed.”

She then deleted her post and put up a new one accusing people of “saying horrid things”.

“People who think they know, don’t actually!” she wrote.

“Court case is pending! Truth will prevail, and those people and others will have no choice but to eat their words!

“Hope this is never anything anybody else has to go through ... Bless you all who are supporting us.”

Jane earlier described Mabbott as a “ratbag, free-spirited” son.

“Rest in peace and love, our son ... Your two sisters, numerous cousins, aunties, uncles, friends and five sons,” she had written on Facebook.

“A needless end to your vibrant, lovable, crazy, ratbag, free-spirited self.”

Edmondson appeared briefly in the High Court at Hamilton on December 17, charged with Mabbott’s murder and the attempted murder of another man who was with Mabbott at the time of the shooting.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges and did not seek name suppression.

Edmondson had become famous in the community for caring for friendly pigs and piglets, with locals and tourists often visiting his property to snap photos of themselves petting the animals.

However, he had also long reported having trouble with people stealing and killing some of them.

Up to 50 pigs he owned have now been moved to a Wellington sanctuary to protect them.

In a social media post, HUHA (Helping You Help Animals) thanked locals who had been supporting the man’s animals.

“They have continued to support their gentle friend, vigilantly caring for his pets.

“Stu’s 50 pet pigs and three dogs are safe and heading back to HUHA.”

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