Mother of Michael Purse tells court her pain and grief will never end

For the first time, a court has heard how missing man Michael Purse was brutally killed – with his mother angry she wasn’t able to look those responsible in the eye.

The body of missing man Michael Purse still has not been found, a court has heard – and his mother says that, without a funeral, her pain and grief will never end.

On Tuesday, Donna Ipers told the Supreme Court she wanted to forgive Edwin James Hinrichsen and David Graham Young for their crime, but could not.

In her victim impact statement, Ms Ipers – who travelled to court from her home in Germany – said her life had been on hold for four years, ever since Mr Purse went missing.

“Due to time differences, night time in Germany is day time here … I stayed awake all night, every night, for years just in case (news) came … for four years, I put off surgery I required just in case I needed to come to Australia,” she said.

Michael Jeffrey Purse was confirmed murdered, his body remains missing.

“I had thoughts that probably don’t make sense to others … in winter I worried about Michael being cold even though I knew he was dead, I worried about fires in the summer that could destroy his remains.

“I would like to be one of those people who can forgive what they’ve done – not for them but for myself – but I can’t even think about it without Michael’s remains being found.”

In February, Hinrichsen, 38, and Young, 41, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on what was scheduled to be the first day of their murder trial.

Their pleas came on the four-year anniversary of the last time Mr Purse was seen alive – his body has yet to be recovered.

The duo’s confessions halted the case while police renewed their search for Mr Purse and delayed the trial of their alleged co-offender, Mark-Bry Leedham, until next year.

On Tuesday, the court heard details of Mr Purse’s death for the first time, based on the testimony of two uncharged eyewitnesses.

Prosecutor Michael Foundas said it would be alleged at trial that Mr Leedham had taken Mr Purse to Young’s home – then punched him, bound him with duct tape, stabbed him with a knife and choked him with a phone cord.

Mother of Michael Purse, Donna Ipers (left) leaving court after giving a victim impact statement in the murder case of her son. Picture: NCA NewsWire

He said Hinrichsen had admitted fetching the duct tape, repeatedly striking Mr Purse, jumping on his chest with both feet and helping clean up after the crime.

Young, he said, had admitted repeatedly punching Mr Purse “while he was bound and on the ground, wailing”, placed him in a headlock and disposed of his body “after several unsuccessful attempts”.

“Neither Hinrichsen nor Young knew Mr Purse, they had no personal involvement in whatever the motivation for this was, and yet they participated in very violent acts upon a man they did not know,” he said.

In her statement to the court, Ms Ipers said the duo’s guilty pleas were self-serving.

“They did this (pleaded guilty) for themselves and not for me and my family,” she said.

Major Crime Investigation Branch conducting a search on Watchba Rd, Owen, SA, in relation to the Michael Purse murder investigation. Picture: NCA / NewsWire Emma Brasier

Her daughter, Kelly Purse, agreed in her statement, saying she had been robbed of her “funny, charismatic, open-minded and intelligent” brother.

“Not only did no one help Michael, you stayed silent,” she told the duo, who listened by video link.

“(His body) was left with disrespect and malice, while your lives go on.”

In his statement, Mr Purse’s father Jeffrey said he was an unwilling member of the “exclusive club” of parents whose children had been taken by violence.

“Michael died in horrible pain, unable to defend himself, alone, in fear, knowing he was going to die,” he said.

“I was unable to help him, which is the ultimate horror for a parent to endure … I am constantly haunted by these thoughts … I would not wish this living nightmare on anyone.”

Angus Redford, for Hinrichsen, said his client was deeply remorseful and had only limited recollection of the incident.

He said the killing happened while Hinrichsen was on “a methylamphetamine binge”, soon after he had been released from custody.

Jeff Powell, for Young, said his client accepted Mr Purse’s family “doesn’t want to hear” his “genuine” apology, and did not fault them for that.

He said Young was often “in tears” thinking about his actions and has told a psychologist that Mr Purse’s death “was so needless, I feel for his family”.

Young was sad, he said, that the searches for Mr Purse “have been unsuccessful”.

Outside court, Ms Ipers told reporters she felt “let down” that Young and Hinrichsen had appeared via audio-visual link, because she wanted them to be in court when she read out her statement.

Michael’s father Jeffrey Purse (right) said nothing good could come from the sentencing. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“I travelled from Germany to Adelaide to be able to be in the same room in person as the two defendants,” she said.

“I wanted to be able to look these two men in the eyes and read my victim impact statement, especially for the part of my statement directed at them personally.

“I feel very let down by Mr Young and Mr Hinrichsen not being present in court in person today.”

Michael’s father Jeffrey Purse said hearing new information come out of the courtroom was “brutal”.

“There were components that only came to light today, and it was brutal. It was horrific.

“There’s nothing good that will come out of this, all the sentencing does in this matter is protect the public from anything else

“Michael got a life sentence out of this, they’re only going to have a brief time incarcerated.”

The pair will be sentenced at a later date.