Editorial: Not much 'closure' for the Pike family

OPINION: You often hear the word "closure" at the end of high-profile court cases. At the sentencing phase of the justice system, victims' families and friends are often asked the question.

In the case of Stephen Hudson, who was yesterday sentenced to 16 years in jail for the killing of Palmerston North man Nicholas Pike, it's hard to see how that would happen for Mr Pike's family.

Next month marks eight years since Mr Pike was seen alive. If he were alive today he'd be 30.

He has missed out on some of the prime years of his life and his friends and family have missed out on sharing good times and memories with him.

It is also an injustice of this world that children can be taken before parents, especially so in such unusual and murky circumstances.

Nicholas Pike's body has never been found and the final dignity of burying their son has not been allowed to parents Evelyn and Greg.

Living through the time that elapsed between Mr Pike going missing and the sentencing cannot be imagined. And all of that is only compounded by the fact no body has ever been found.

Even in court Hudson shouted that he was innocent, reportedly saying: "I didn't kill Nick."

He may have said that but the court system decided otherwise and barring an appeal, Hudson will spend a lot of time behind bars.

That may be the last the public hears of Hudson for some time, but what about the Pikes? They can only hope that since the trial is over and sentencing has been passed that someone, Hudson or otherwise, will come forward with information about what happened to their son, and more importantly, where his remains are.

On top of the family's grieving, the countless time and energy police have spent on the case means that staff are just as determined to give the Pikes what they so desperately want – and need – to move on.

Even after Hudson was convicted last year some of Detective Sergeant Dave Clifford's first thoughts were that the job wasn't done.

He told the Manawatu Standard that the file would remain open until Nicholas Pike was found. "We will always have an open file on Nick's whereabouts, and I hope one day it can be closed," he said. With so much time passed and anguish suffered, that is the very least the family deserves.

What a pleasure it was for me to talk to former Feilding woman Hazel Nash the other day. What an extraordinary woman. In her 61 years she has already jampacked so much in, but still wants to do a lot more.

Aiming to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents is an eye-opener verging on the remarkable. She's already knocked three of them off and aims to have the rest done by the middle of 2012. We will be watching her progress with much interest.