Robin Bain's brother has spoken out about the the Bain family murders for the first time, outlining why his family believes "Robin was no killer".
In an article published in this week's Listener, Michael Bain, of Wellington, writes of how Robin, Margaret, Arawa, Laniet and Stephen Bain were vilified during David Bain's recent retrial - and of how difficult that was for the wider family to accept because none of those against whom the "hearsay" allegations were levelled were alive to rebut them.
David Bain (now 37) served 13 years in prison for the 1994 murders of his parents and three siblings at the family's Every St, Dunedin, home, before he was acquitted of the crimes by a Christchurch jury after a three-month-long retrial earlier this year.
Michael Bain said the wider Bain family rejected the allegations levelled at members of the Dunedin family, particularly Robin Bain, as "totally out of character, speculative and disbelieved".
"We, his family, knew him to be a man of integrity and a good and faithful husband to Margaret and an excellent father to his children.
"We all knew Robin's focus and attention to be at a much more profound level than that attributed to him in the hearsay evidence.
"We knew his background and that he deserved a valedictory for his life achievements and not to be vilified by those who had never known him.
"We know too, that even in his last days, he remained motivated and had everything to live for.
"Most of all, we knew that there were no circumstances in which Robin ever would or could have harmed anyone.
"Robin was no killer.
"He was a calm, loyal, peaceful and thoughtful man who deserved to grow old surrounded by the love of his family.
"I remain honoured to be his brother."
Fifteen years after his death, the family firmly believed Robin, along with the other family members who died, were innocent victims, he said.
"We have nothing but good memories of a fine, upstanding, unselfish man who lived a life of integrity and achievement . . . our memories are of a once very happy family who had normal hopes and dreams for the future."
Since the Every St killings, much "media hype" had focused on David Bain, including attempts to divert attention from him to Robin Bain.
Little attention had been paid to the others killed, whose futures were also "brutally and tragically snatched from them".
"For us, their loving brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and cousins, the end for each remains as unimaginable and horrifying today as when we first heard the news.
"David is able to enjoy his new-found freedom, but we haven't forgotten those who were never given a chance and now are unable to defend their reputations, or to enjoy any future at all."
