"We will take the matter further," Carol Tisdall, of Christchurch, told the Otago Daily Times, when asked to comment on coroner Alan Macalister's verdict on the death of her son, Fenton William Tisdall (29).
Mr Macalister ruled Fenton William Tisdall died on, or about, December 31, 2005 as a result of internal injuries caused by the severe impact sustained when his motorcycle crashed off State Highway 6 near the intersection with Shortcut Rd, at Cromwell.
"The cause of the motorcycle leaving the road is not known," Mrs Tisdall declined to elaborate on the next move by her and partner David Lelliott, as she was "not prepared to give the police any ideas".
However, it was her intention the man whom she alleged "admitted" assaulting Mr Tisdall would be charged.
Mrs Tisdall, who said she had not received the coroner's verdict yesterday, insisted her son was "robbed, beaten and strangled" in an argument over a theft at a party at the Matterhorn Motel, in Wanaka, on December 30, 2005.
Mrs Tisdall said Cromwell police "ignored" two witness accounts given in February 2006 which claimed Mr Tisdall was "assaulted - and it was serious". Her son had never driven while drunk in his life.
She has been fighting the case for four years.
Mr Macalister said in the absence of direct evidence, he could make no finding Mr Tisdall was strangled. However, he found he was held in a headlock during the fight. His head was brought into contact with the balcony railing and he was held by the throat against the railing, the coroner ruled.
Mr Macalister said it was not surprising there were some inconsistencies in partygoers' statements, as they were affected by alcohol.
It was "clear" Fenton was affected by alcohol when he drove off "aggressively", the coroner said. But he could not find Mr Tisdall had ridden directly from the party to Cromwell and could not find that the consumption of alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Mr Macalister dismissed the suggestion by Rev Peter Frost, on behalf of the Tisdall family, at the coroner's court hearing in Queenstown, on March 4, there had been a conspiracy by witnesses to play down the fight and the injuries suffered by Mr Tisdall.
"I can find no evidence of such a cover-up," Mr Macalister said.
Detective Sergeant Grahme Bartlett, the Queenstown officer who independently reviewed the police handling of the circumstances surrounding the death, said in a statement yesterday he was pleased the coroner had endorsed the initial police findings and the review of the police inquiry.
"The coroner did not support the submissions put forward on behalf of some members of the Tisdall family that Fenton Tisdall suffered strangulation, or any other actual or potential serious injury, in the . . . fracas at the motel.
"The coroner also supported the police investigation that there had been no cover-up by any witnesses involved in the incident.
"This was a tragic case where Fenton Tisdall was affected by alcohol when he rode away on his 1000cc motorcycle from a motel in Wanaka, in the early hours of December 31, 2005 and was located at the crash site."
Det Sgt Bartlett said the finding would bring closure to the inquiry.
