Homeless Nelson man missing for more than a year

Friday, 3 May 2019

Missing man Athol Turner, pictured here in April 2017 while he was living in a shelter at the Nelson Croquet Club.

Nelson police are on the lookout for a Nelson man who has not been seen by his family for more than a year.

Police are asking members of the public for any information on the whereabouts of 62-year-old Athol James Turner.

Since 2017 Turner has been living a transient lifestyle, often sleeping rough and staying in backpackers for short periods of time.

Turner's sister Tania Kearns said despite regular searching, the family hadn't had any contact with him since late 2017.

Turner had been living in Nelson's low-cost housing complex, Franklyn Village, for seven years, but left in early 2017 after a falling out with the manager.

He then began sleeping rough, including a stint outside the Nelson Hinemoa Croquet Club.

In a Stuff article from April 2017, Turner said while he had an affordable place in Brightwater to move to, his decision to live on the streets was somewhat of a lifestyle choice.

Kearns said the family had regularly brought food and arranged accommodation for Turner, but he had continually broken rules and went back to living on the streets or in other transient accommodation.

She said her brother had stopped using his bank account in June 2017, and the last time he was sighted was later in November.

Before then Turner would keep in contact periodically, and it was unusual for him to not be in contact with at least one member of the family, she said.

'We can't contact him, we don't know where he is, we've been everywhere at all the haunts he used to stay – we keep looking for him everyday.

'It's put a lot of pressure on our family, it's just very hard not knowing where he is.'

If you have seen Athol, or have information which might help police locate him, please call Detective Rolton on 03 970 2114.