Life sentence for hammer killer

Martin Schofield has been sentenced to life in prison today. PHOTO/ FILE

Martin Cranswick Schofield, 49, was sentenced today at the High Court in Rotorua to life in prison with a non-parole period of 11 years for the murder of his partner, Katrina Drummond.

Ms Drummond, 47, was found dead in a bedroom of her Elizabeth St home in Taupo in April.

The summary of facts revealed Schofield "snapped" upon finding out Ms Drummond was seeing another man.

After scratching derogotory words into Ms Drummond's car, Schofield returned to the house with a claw hammer and hit her in the back of the head at least seven times in what was described in a post mortem report as an "unsurvivable attack".

Schofield smiled and said "Yes" as he left the dock after receiving his sentence.

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