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Otago Daily Times
11-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Son of couple killed by ram 'furious' over how deaths were handled
By Tara Shaskey It has been a year since an elderly couple were found dead on their four-hectare lifestyle property after a rogue ram entered their paddock and killed them. But despite the passage of time and an investigation into the tragic deaths of Alfred Hansen, 82, who was known as Helge, and his wife Gaye, 81, it seems there are still more questions than answers. That is unlikely to change now that a coroner has decided not to open an inquiry into their deaths, something Helge's son, Antony Hansen, is livid about. He is also appalled that charges have not been laid in respect to the deaths. 'Two people were killed – and the only witness was an aggressive ram, which was conveniently destroyed on the same day, without any clear mention of forensic evidence being taken from it. Where is the accountability? Where is the rigour we expect in a legal and justice system?" Antony asked when speaking to NZME this week. 'Why wasn't the animal tested? Why wasn't it held as evidence? Why weren't the owners of the ram – who, to my knowledge, allowed a fully grown ram to roam close enough to breach fencing and kill – ever charged?" The Hansens were found dead in their Anzac Valley Rd, Waitākere, paddock by a family member, who called police on the morning of April 18 last year. It was believed the ram, owned by the Hansens' neighbours, killed Helge first, and then Gaye when she went to check on him. It is not known how long they had been in the paddock or exactly when they died. The Hansens were last known to be alive on April 14. Their sudden and shocking deaths quickly became publicly known, leading to widespread coverage in local and overseas media. Three months later, on July 8, Coroner Tracey Fitzgibbon issued a decision not to open an inquiry into the deaths, which went unreported. However, NZME was recently provided with the decision and can reveal the reasons behind it. 'Most likely by the ram' Fitzgibbon wrote she had considered all available information and was satisfied the Hansens died as a result of blunt-force injuries to the chest, and for Helge also to the head, from an animal attack, namely a sheep. She considered all of the matters required to be established under the relevant section of the Coroners Act had been established, and, concerning other sections, was satisfied there were no circumstances relating to the deaths that made an inquiry 'necessary or desirable'. Fitzgibbon determined the couple died between April 14 and 18 last year and, on the circumstances of their deaths, found that the paddock they were in was about 80 metres from their house, and there was a fenced paddock in between. The fencing was a mixture of electric and non-electric. 'A ram was in the same paddock and had attacked the family member who had to restrain it. The ram was still aggressive when police attended and was shot so that emergency responders could enter the paddock,' she wrote. 'It is unknown how long they [the Hansens] had been in the paddock and their movements in the days leading up to their death are unknown. 'A post-mortem examination has confirmed that the pattern of injuries is consistent with repeat impacts, most likely by the ram, while on the ground.' Speaking to NZME from Dubai, Antony said he was 'deeply dissatisfied' with the coroner's decision not to open an inquiry. 'The coroner's report is, in my view, shockingly inadequate for a case involving the violent and unusual deaths of two elderly people on their own property,' he said. 'The statement that their deaths were 'most likely' caused by a ram is vague, inconclusive, and frankly, unacceptable as a final determination. ''Most likely' is not a standard we should accept when two people end up dead in a paddock. This wasn't a fall. It wasn't natural causes.' Antony was critical of the decision 'casually' noting the Hansens had not been seen for several days. He believed that alone should be reason enough to ask further questions. 'What were their movements? Who saw them last? How did the ram even get into the paddock? Why is no one being held responsible for basic negligence? 'To me, this whole situation feels brushed under the rug to avoid inconvenience or upset.' 'There was no wrongdoing' While the Coroner's Court was unable to speak specifically to the Hansens' case, a spokesperson said a coroner can make a finding without having to open an inquiry if they conclude it is not required to enable them to determine the cause and circumstances of the death. It also means the coroner has determined that no recommendations or comments are necessary, they told NZME. But the coroner has to provide advance notice to immediate family members of the intention not to open an inquiry, which allows them to raise any factors or concerns the coroner may not be aware of. Although Antony did not receive any communication from the Coroner's Court, he was unable to say whether other family members did. The spokesperson said a coroner may later decide to open an inquiry, despite the initial decision not to, if they are satisfied that, for any reason, it would be desirable to do so. Families can also apply to the High Court or the Solicitor-General for an order that an inquiry be opened on the grounds that the responsible coroner failed or refused to open one, or new facts have been discovered. 'I absolutely would support challenging the coroner's decision,' Antony said. 'The public should be aware that in New Zealand, two elderly people can die under extremely violent and suspicious circumstances, and the system may decide it's just not worth looking into.' Antony was also angry that charges had not been laid, highlighting that if a dog entered a property and attacked two elderly people who died as a result, charges would most likely be laid and consequences faced. 'So why not in this case?' he asked. A police spokesperson told NZME this week that an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths had taken place. They confirmed charges would not be laid. 'Police have found there was no wrongdoing and charges are not warranted in this instance. 'Unfortunately, this was a tragic accident, and our sympathies are with all those involved.' Antony said he was unable to attend the joint funeral of the Hansens, who had been married for 30 years, due to flooding in Dubai at the time and that had made their deaths even more painful. They were farewelled by more than 250 mourners at the Kumeu Showgrounds in Auckland. 'But pain aside, I am furious at how this has been handled,' he said. 'This isn't about revenge or blame – it's about accountability, transparency and justice. And so far, we've seen none of those.'
Otago Daily Times
10-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Son of couple killed by ram furious over inquiry decision
By Tara Shaskey It has been a year since an elderly couple were found dead on their four-hectare lifestyle property after a rogue ram entered their paddock and killed them. But despite the passage of time and an investigation into the tragic deaths of Alfred Hansen, 82, who was known as Helge, and his wife Gaye, 81, it seems there are still more questions than answers. That is unlikely to change now that a coroner has decided not to open an inquiry into their deaths, something Helge's son, Antony Hansen, is livid about. He is also appalled that charges have not been laid in respect to the deaths. 'Two people were killed – and the only witness was an aggressive ram, which was conveniently destroyed on the same day, without any clear mention of forensic evidence being taken from it. Where is the accountability? Where is the rigour we expect in a legal and justice system?" Antony asked when speaking to NZME this week. 'Why wasn't the animal tested? Why wasn't it held as evidence? Why weren't the owners of the ram – who, to my knowledge, allowed a fully grown ram to roam close enough to breach fencing and kill – ever charged?" The Hansens were found dead in their Anzac Valley Rd, Waitākere, paddock by a family member, who called police on the morning of April 18 last year. It was believed the ram, owned by the Hansens' neighbours, killed Helge first, and then Gaye when she went to check on him. It is not known how long they had been in the paddock or exactly when they died. The Hansens were last known to be alive on April 14. Their sudden and shocking deaths quickly became publicly known, leading to widespread coverage in local and overseas media. Three months later, on July 8, Coroner Tracey Fitzgibbon issued a decision not to open an inquiry into the deaths, which went unreported. However, NZME was recently provided with the decision and can reveal the reasons behind it. 'Most likely by the ram' Fitzgibbon wrote she had considered all available information and was satisfied the Hansens died as a result of blunt-force injuries to the chest, and for Helge also to the head, from an animal attack, namely a sheep. She considered all of the matters required to be established under the relevant section of the Coroners Act had been established, and, concerning other sections, was satisfied there were no circumstances relating to the deaths that made an inquiry 'necessary or desirable'. Fitzgibbon determined the couple died between April 14 and 18 last year and, on the circumstances of their deaths, found that the paddock they were in was about 80 metres from their house, and there was a fenced paddock in between. The fencing was a mixture of electric and non-electric. 'A ram was in the same paddock and had attacked the family member who had to restrain it. The ram was still aggressive when police attended and was shot so that emergency responders could enter the paddock,' she wrote. 'It is unknown how long they [the Hansens] had been in the paddock and their movements in the days leading up to their death are unknown. 'A post-mortem examination has confirmed that the pattern of injuries is consistent with repeat impacts, most likely by the ram, while on the ground.' Speaking to NZME from Dubai, Antony said he was 'deeply dissatisfied' with the coroner's decision not to open an inquiry. 'The coroner's report is, in my view, shockingly inadequate for a case involving the violent and unusual deaths of two elderly people on their own property,' he said. 'The statement that their deaths were 'most likely' caused by a ram is vague, inconclusive, and frankly, unacceptable as a final determination. ''Most likely' is not a standard we should accept when two people end up dead in a paddock. This wasn't a fall. It wasn't natural causes.' Antony was critical of the decision 'casually' noting the Hansens had not been seen for several days. He believed that alone should be reason enough to ask further questions. 'What were their movements? Who saw them last? How did the ram even get into the paddock? Why is no one being held responsible for basic negligence? 'To me, this whole situation feels brushed under the rug to avoid inconvenience or upset.' 'There was no wrongdoing' While the Coroner's Court was unable to speak specifically to the Hansens' case, a spokesperson said a coroner can make a finding without having to open an inquiry if they conclude it is not required to enable them to determine the cause and circumstances of the death. It also means the coroner has determined that no recommendations or comments are necessary, they told NZME. But the coroner has to provide advance notice to immediate family members of the intention not to open an inquiry, which allows them to raise any factors or concerns the coroner may not be aware of. Although Antony did not receive any communication from the Coroner's Court, he was unable to say whether other family members did. The spokesperson said a coroner may later decide to open an inquiry, despite the initial decision not to, if they are satisfied that, for any reason, it would be desirable to do so. Families can also apply to the High Court or the Solicitor-General for an order that an inquiry be opened on the grounds that the responsible coroner failed or refused to open one, or new facts have been discovered. 'I absolutely would support challenging the coroner's decision,' Antony said. 'The public should be aware that in New Zealand, two elderly people can die under extremely violent and suspicious circumstances, and the system may decide it's just not worth looking into.' Antony was also angry that charges had not been laid, highlighting that if a dog entered a property and attacked two elderly people who died as a result, charges would most likely be laid and consequences faced. 'So why not in this case?' he asked. A police spokesperson told NZME this week that an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths had taken place. They confirmed charges would not be laid. 'Police have found there was no wrongdoing and charges are not warranted in this instance. 'Unfortunately, this was a tragic accident, and our sympathies are with all those involved.' Antony said he was unable to attend the joint funeral of the Hansens, who had been married for 30 years, due to flooding in Dubai at the time and that had made their deaths even more painful. They were farewelled by more than 250 mourners at the Kumeu Showgrounds in Auckland. 'But pain aside, I am furious at how this has been handled,' he said. 'This isn't about revenge or blame – it's about accountability, transparency and justice. And so far, we've seen none of those.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rockford artist transforms molten glass into stunning works of art
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — It takes time and patience for Drew Helge to make his art. The Rockford native is a glass artist. His art begins to take shape at Firebird Community Arts in Chicago. 'It's basically a big party,' Helge said. 'For me, it's part of therapy, too. I just really enjoy this.' He explained the process of turning glass into art from step one to the end. 'Every day I come into the shop and I make up my drawings,' Helge said. 'These are my sketches of what I'm making today.' The sketches are an essential part of the process as they'll guide the direction from the start. Helge's been doing this for 25 years. 'Every single thing that we do in glass operates on three principles – heat, timing, and gravity. Oftentimes we're doing two or more of those things at once,' he said. 'This is an electric furnace,' Helge demonstrated. ' Inside, there is a giant flower pot that holds about 250 to 300 pounds of glass.' It's molten glass. What he does is called hot sculpting or glass blowing. Long pipes are one of the first tools used in the process. 'We have solid pipes,' he said, 'as well as blow pipes that have a hole through them.' He first heats up the pipes, otherwise, the glass won't stick to it. Then, he sticks the pipe in the furnace. 'Spin, spin, spin, spin,' he showed. 'Come out at the same angle. And that's called a gather.' He cools off the pipe so he can handle it safely when it's time to shape the glass into his next piece of art. 'We're going to make one of these dancers that's up here,' he said, pointing to a drawing he made earlier. He gathers, then shapes. It's a process that repeats itself several times. 'Glass has a mind of its own,' Helge said. 'It can be manipulative, it can be additive, subtractive, it can be geometric, it can be organic. It's so versatile.' After a while, the piece really starts to take shape. 'We're going to elongate these over a period of several heats,' he said while pulling on the edges of the glass he's formed. Before long, the glass looks like it was drawn up to be. 'Alright… grab…lift.. and ding,' he said to his assistant while breaking the glass apart from the pipe. 'Beautiful.' After final touches at his home in Rockford, the best of his art goes on display in downtown Rockford in a gallery on East State Street called Kith and Kin Art Collective, as part of the 2025 Rockford ArtScene. 'The stuff that is the highest level of craft is the stuff I've brought to the gallery for people to enjoy,' he pointed out. The final message to the Stateline is a simple one. 'At the end of the day, I think it's really important to support the arts and support people who are doing things creative,' Helge said. 'I'm really grateful to be part of this community of artists and just encourage people to celebrate the arts and encourage the arts.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Festen review – Turnage's taut new opera grips, appals and moves
First the film, then the stage play and now an immensely impressive opera. Mark-Anthony Turnage's Festen (Celebration) is the latest incarnation of Thomas Vinterberg's 1998 movie, which is regarded as the starting point of the Dogme 95 movement in Danish cinema. With a libretto by Lee Hall based upon the English stage adaptation, Festen is the fourth opera to be derived from a Dogme film, following Poul Ruders' Dancer in the Dark, Missy Mazzoli's Breaking the Waves and Mikael Karlsson's Melancholia (all based on screenplays by Lars von Trier). It's Turnage's fourth full-length opera for adults, and the benefit of that experience shines through every bar, and is reflected in its immaculate dramatic and musical pacing. Hall has supplied him with a taut, unfussy text in which not a word is wasted, so that the awful story that unravels at the 60th birthday dinner for hotel owner Helge, of a family deeply scarred by child abuse and haunted by a suicide, is presented in a single 95-minute span that grips, moves and appals from first moment to last. Conducted by Edward Gardner, the orchestral score drives this tragedy inexorably, with Turnage showing an infallible sense of when to allow the quiet power of the words to speak for themselves and when to allow his music to take charge, as the action flips from black comedy to bleak horror, or has its course punctuated by authentically operatic choruses, a Danish birthday song, a savagely ironic version of Baa Baa Black Sheep and a deeply sinister conga. There are some devastating silences, alongside the briefest snatches of serene lyrical beauty, and rather more of Turnage's trademark bluesy inflections, which are only one element in a wonderfully varied musical palette. The opera has 25 named roles, as well as a chorus and acting extras, but the way in which the main characters are sharply defined within these teeming stage pictures is remarkable. In settings by designer Miriam Buether that switch between the neutral, bland bedrooms and anonymous function room of a large hotel, Richard Jones's disciplined production handles the sometimes frenzied action adroitly, keeping things entirely naturalistic, and adding a final twist of horror in the closing scene, when after the previous evening's revelations the mood of affected normality among the departing guests mirrors the close of Britten's Peter Grimes. It helps enormously that the cast for this ensemble piece is so uniformly superb, projecting the words with such clarity and vehemence that surtitles are all but redundant. Helge, around whom all the tragedy revolves, has relatively little to say, though he is portrayed with brooding intensity by Gerald Finley, while the children, led by Christian, passionately, heart-breakingly portrayed by Allan Clayton and followed by his sister Helena, sung with contained yet devastating intensity by Natalya Romaniw, and finally their dead sister Linda (Marta Fontanals-Simmons) destroy any pretence of this being a 'normal' family occasion. Stéphane Degout is the unpredictable, unhinged brother Michael, and Rosie Aldridge their unbelieving mother Else, while John Tomlinson and Susan Bickley contribute cameos as the Grandpa and Grandma. If Turnage's score never puts a foot wrong, neither does any aspect of its performance. In repertory until 27 February. The opera will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 22 March and then available on BBC Sounds
