Tragedy in Queensland for young Maori couple

Tragedy has unfolded in Brisbane over the new year’s eve celebration with Taranaki man Maioha Tokotaua holding a vigil by the bedside of his battered husband, Joth Wilson. Wilson was found under a train bridge in the Queensland city of Gladstone on the New Years eve morning suffering multiple injuries including a broken neck, back and ribs. He also had burns to nearly half of his body.

Tokotaua has told both Australian media and the Queensland Police that his partner was the target of a gay hate crime although the Police have said they are not following his version of events. According to News Limited:

He told of his belief that Mr Wilson was thrown from the bridge by a man with a wife and kids who he had previously knocked back.

“There were these guys who had been harassing us for some time after one of them, who is married with children, made an advance that Joth rejected,” Mr Tokotaua said. “There’s no money involved, no drugs, no debt — there’s just no motive for the attack other than they were intimidated that we might tell their families.”

Queensland Police told news.com.au they had not located any evidence to suggest any third party involvement, but detectives were still investigating all possible scenarios.

“Police have interviewed a number of people and reviewed CCTV footage from a business in the nearby vicinity,” a spokeswoman said.

“Due to the serious injuries sustained by the man, police have so far been unable to formally interview him.”

Police refused to comment further.