March appeal date set for Ashburton WINZ shooter Russell John Tully

Russell John Tully during his trial at the High Court at Christchurch. Pool photo.

Work and Income double-killer Russell John Tully's appeal against his conviction and sentence will be heard by the Court of Appeal next March.

Tully was found guilty in March of being the masked gunman who stormed the Ashburton Winz centre on September 1, 2014 and shot dead receptionist Peggy Noble, 67, from point-blank range and shot case manager Susan Leigh Cleveland, 55, three times as she pleaded for her life.

The 50-year-old was also found guilty of attempting to murder case manager Kim Adams. He was found not guilty of attempting to murder case manager Lindy Curtis who was shot in the leg and badly injured while hiding under a desk.

In May, Justice Cameron Mander sentenced Tully to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 27 years - the second highest non-parole period ever handed down in New Zealand history.

Throughout the court process, Tully always indicated he would always appeal whatever the outcome was.

Today, a Court of Appeal spokeswoman in Wellington confirmed that a hearing date of March 28 has now been confirmed.

At sentencing, Tully alleged a "major cover-up by the Crown" regarding disclosure and evidence, and further claimed he didn't have access to a lawyer.

"If I was guilty and went out and killed two people, I'd take it, and say, 'That was me'. But obviously that was not the case and I refute the accusation," Tully said.

Tully was found to be mentally capable of facing charges of double-murder and attempted murder after a hearing under the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 in the High Court at Christchurch last year.