KEY POINTS:
The family of a pensioner stabbed to death in her flat nearly three years ago received justice yesterday when her killer was handed the longest sentence ever given to a woman in New Zealand.
However, they now face the prospect of an appeal, and say closure has not
yet been reached.
Tracy Jean Goodman, 44, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 19 years for the murder and robbery of Mona Morriss, 83, in her Marton pensioner flat in January 2005.
The sentence was the longest meted out to a woman in this country since Minnie Dean who was sentenced to death by hanging in 1895 for murdering a baby.
Goodman, was jailed for two years for burglary, to be served concurrently with her murder sentence.
Goodman, who was convicted on September 28, is already serving seven years on 86 burglary convictions, a sentence that will now be served concurrently with the life sentence.
She again proclaimed her innocence in court yesterday, and her lawyer, Mike Antunovich, said he would lodge an appeal against her conviction.
Mrs Morriss' family were present each day of the month-long trial, and many were in court again to see Goodman sentenced yesterday.
Mrs Morriss' son, Kevin Morriss, told The Dominion Post Goodman's lack of remorse was unsurprising.
"If you sat through that month-long trial you knew it was coming," he said.
"We don't really get closure because it's not all over. In 19 years I may not be there but my kids will. I can't even think about an appeal."
Daughter Glennys Meade said the sentence was justified, and that she wanted to meet the killer "face to face".
"I want her to actually look at me and see what she's done. She's never looked at us, she's always averted her eyes.
"That's my greatest wish, in the 19 years that she's got, one day, we will meet," she said.
In his submission to the judge, crown prosecutor Andrew Cameron said the nature of Goodman's crime warranted a minimum non-parole period between 18 and 20 years.
Goodman was a "career burglar" who preyed on elderly people and had attacked and murdered Mrs Morriss in her Marton flat to avoid detection for burgling her.
He described Goodman as "calculating, callous and cruel" and capable of inflicting extreme violence.
In the attack against the frail 83 year-old there was a disparity in age, strength, size and agility, he said.
Passing sentence, Justice Cooper said such crimes against defenceless elderly people in their homes could not be tolerated and must be denounced.
Goodman had shown no remorse for the murder of Mrs Morriss, who in 2005 was still active and enjoying her life.
He expressed his "heartfelt sympathy" to the Morriss family for what they had suffered.
- NZPA