13 years jail for Kate Alkema killer

10.45am

Nika Abraham was today sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 13 years for strangling Lower Hutt woman Kate Alkema in April last year.

Abraham, 21, a trainee security guard, of Lower Hutt, was found guilty of Ms Alkema's murder in March.

Justice Ron Young sentenced Abraham in a hearing in the High Court at Wellington today.

Ms Alkema, 36, disappeared while walking near her Lower Hutt home last year.

Her family organised a search and her brother found her body in bush beside the Hutt River later the same day.

During Abraham's trial the Crown said Ms Alkema was killed during a sexual attack.

No semen was found on or near Mrs Alkema's strangled body but her clothes had been almost pulled off her.

Abraham later told police he rearranged her clothes to make it look like a sexual attack but in fact had only wanted to know the thrill of frightening someone.

He said he intended touching her shoulder to get her to scream.

A webbing strap was looped twice around her neck and knotted tightly.

Justice Young said Abraham had killed Kate Alkema "with almost casual indifference".

His attack had been unprovoked in a public place and had given Ms Alkema no chance to defend herself. Her death had had an "horrendous" effect on dozens of lives.

"Your actions show no acceptance of responsibility, no shame and no remorse," the judge told Abraham.

"I am left with the obvious conclusion you are a dangerous person...with no conscience who will lie and cheat to avoid responsibility."

Abraham had confessed to killing Ms Alkema but subsequently denied it, something which Justice Young described as "nonsense" the jury had correctly seen through.

In setting a minimum non-parole period the judge said the killing was clearly out of the ordinary.

He took into account Abraham's youth and minor criminal record when imposing the minimum non-parole period of 13 years.

Crown prosecutor Grant Burston had called for a minimum non-parole period at the top of the scale because of the "extreme brutality" of the case.

He described the victim impact reports of Ms Alkema's friends and family as "heart rending".

For Abraham, defence lawyer Brian Yeoman asked the court to show leniency "so far as possible in this particular case".

After the sentencing Ms Alkema's brother John Theyers said the family were very disappointed with the sentence.

"We are very disappointed that Kate's life was only worth 13 years. When this chap comes out of jail he'll be younger than Kate was when he executed her.

"In saying that, I feel very sad that this young man has got to spend so much time in an institution that I don't feel is going to help him at all."

- NZPA