Sun 23 Jan 2011 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Photo: John Selkirk/Fairfax media The two women whose Mangawhai horticultural business was burned to the ground in what appears to be a homophobic hate attack have spent a nervous but uneventful night exactly a week after the conflagration. Lindsay Curnow says she and her partner were aware that the fire was lit last Saturday night so last night was uncomfortable for them. "We had a close friend up from Auckland to keep us company and my brother was here," she says. Other friends living in the town hosted the women for an evening meal and company whilst the brother remained on guard in the house which last weekend narrowly escaped also going up in flames. "He has a dog so we could relax a little knowing that the house was in good hands," she says. "We couldn't have gone out and left our home empty, Curnow says. "Juliet [Leigh] summed it up when she said 'I don't want to come home and find even more of my life missing.'" The pair have been receiving "non-stop" emails and phone messages of support. The national media have also been clamouring to present the women's story after it first broke nationally on GayNZ.com. Leigh has today taken time out to go fishing with their Auckland friend "despite the wet weather... not my idea of a good time," says Curnow, leaving her to ponder their future. "We have a few ideas of what we might try to do but at the moment neither of us has the heart or the energy to address it." Anyone with information that could assist the police is asked to contact Detective John Gilbert of the Rodney CIB, or call the Crimestoppers line anonymously on 0800-555-111. You can discuss this gay New Zealand news story on the GayNZ.com forum here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 23rd January 2011 - 12:49pm