The mother of murder victim Justin Dyne is stunned that her son's killer will be eligible to apply for parole in 10 years, instead of the 12 years requested by the Crown.
Tristan Rex Lawson, aged 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday for strangling Mr Dyne, 25, with an electrical cord in July last year as they sat in a car park in the Waitakere Ranges taking drugs.
Lawson told police he killed Mr Dyne because he was "annoying".
A jury found him guilty of murder last month.
Crown prosecutor Aaron Perkins told the High Court at Auckland yesterday that planning for Mr Dyne's death occurred at least the day before he died. This was one of the factors that made the case sufficiently serious to warrant a minimum non-parole period of about 12 years.
Justice Susan Glazebrook said she had been unable to conclude that Lawson's planning was significant or had any degree of sophistication. The most serious aspect of the case was that Lawson killed Mr Dyne because he found him annoying.
Linda Dyne said she felt helpless and disappointed with the sentence and the possibility that crown witness Lance Graham, who helped dispose of her son's body, could claim a $50,000 reward.
Testimony from Mr Graham, who was in the car when Mr Dyne was strangled, helped secure a murder conviction against Lawson. Mr Graham was given immunity from prosecution.
Linda Dyne said the family was considering a private prosecution against Mr Graham, but had been given a "ballpark figure" of $100,000 by barrister Marie Dyhrberg.
"It hurts me to think that [a private prosecution] is going to cost me everything I have, and Lance Graham is going to walk away with $50,000."
Parole prospect stuns strangled man's mother
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