Family describe trauma as murderer sentenced

Christchurch man Lewis Robert Blackburn was sentenced to life imprisonment today for the "senseless" murder of his partner after she told him their relationship was over.

Blackburn, 48, a freezing worker, strangled Christine Hindson at her New Brighton home last September 7, nailed her body into a wooden chest, then dumped it near a suburban Christchurch walking track.

He will serve a minium of ten years in jail before being eligible for parole.

A tall, burly man, Blackburn pleaded guilty to murder in the High Court at Christchurch last month and was remanded until today for sentence.

He leaned on the front of the dock staring at the floor in court today during the 20 minutes it took Ms Hindson's mother, sister and daughter to give a heart-wrenching account of how the brutal killing had affected their lives.

They told of how Blackburn assured them he knew nothing of Ms Hindson's disappearance and showed no concerns for her whereabouts for a week after he killed her.

Ms Hindson's sister, Meg Annan, told the court the family had put out flyers around the New Brighton area and searched green belt areas looking for her body.

If Blackburn had confessed earlier, she said, it could have saved the family's "torment and heartbreak" in being unable to view Ms Hindson's body after it was recovered because of its state of decomposition.

Ms Hindson's daughter, Marla McKenzie, said her mother's murder had affected a large number of people.

"He brutally took her away from all of us just because he couldn't have her," she said. "I resent what he's done to us and I'll never forgive him."

Ms McKenzie said she recalled Blackburn asking during the search for her mother how she was faring. She realised now her mother's body must at that stage have been in his car just metres from where they were talking.

"For one week Lewis led us to believe she had just gone away somewhere and not to worry."

No amount of years Blackburn could spend in prison would ever make things better, Ms McKenzie said.

"I don't ever want him released."

Move out

At a depositions hearing in January, crown prosecutor Pip Currie said Blackburn had been in a relationship with Ms Hindson, 45, for about three years but had been asked to move out of her home because the relationship wasn't working.

About 4am last September 7 Blackburn went into her bedroom and became angry after a discussion. He grabbed Ms Hindson by her throat and squeezed until she frothed at the mouth and lost consciousness.

Blackburn put her body in a wooden chest and nailed it shut. He tried to bury the chest in the backyard but struck tree roots and debris. He then put the chest in his car and drove around the city for two days looking for a suitable place to bury it.

Three days after the murder, Blackburn drove the car to a suburban Ferrymead walking track, dragged the chest into an area of long grass and left it there.

On September 14, Blackburn told a former partner he'd throttled Ms Hindson and was interviewed by police the following day. He admitted killing her and helped police find the body.

Blackburn told police he'd become angry and had just taken to her.

For Blackburn, lawyer Garry Collin said a sentence of life imprisonment was clearly appropriate. Blackburn did not seek to blame anyone and accepted full responsibility for the murder.

Mr Collin said Blackburn had not pleaded guilty at the depositions stage on his advice because a psychiatric report was being prepared. He had pleaded guilty shortly after the report was made available.

"He knows he's taken a life and wrecked a number of others," Mr Collin said. "He's extremely sorry. He wishes he could change things but knows he cannot."

Blackburn, Mr Collin said, offered his "deepest regrets" to Ms Hindson's family.

Justice John Fogarty told Blackburn he'd committed a "senseless murder" and done a "ghastly deed".

He sentenced him to life imprisonment and ordered him to serve a minimum of 10 years before being eligible for parole.

- NZPA