On the day of the murder, Ford and Putai and his partner Solamae Winikerei lived together at a Tokoroa address.
Ford also worked for his father-in-law, and they undertook spraying and fencing at a number of farms in the area.
Just after 1.15 pm on that day the Winikerei went to a local takeaway store and got lunch for the three of them which they ate together in the lounge.
After taking a phone call from his partner, Ford was angry and Putai and Winikerei tried to calm him down.
Due to concerns about Ford's behaviour towards Putai's partner, who was assaulted by Ford, before the chainsaw bar attack, the police were called.
Ford turned his attention to Putai who was sitting in the lounge, and after a few minutes he picked up a chainsaw bar and repeatedly struck Putai about his head with it.
Winikerei heard her partner scream while she was speaking to a 111 operator and the operator asked her to go back to the lounge to take Putai into the bedroom with her.
Ford can be heard by the operator swearing and yelling and at least 11 distant blows can also be heard after Putai screams out, the court heard.
The post mortem report indicated that Putai suffered extensive and unsurvivable head injuries, after at least four blows with the chainsaw bar which lacerated his scalp.
The blows also caused extensive fracturing to his skull and the base of his skull to such an extent that the left side of Putai's skull effectively "caved in".
One of the blows also severed the deceased's left ear in half, and the top half of his ear became depressed into his skull, the court also heard.
The fractured bone lacerated his brain, including the vital areas of the mid-brain and the brain stem, the court also heard.
The deceased also had bruises and minor cuts to his arms and hands which were likely to be consistent with defensive-type injuries.
Police found Putai's body after being called to the address in relation to a serious assault.
Crown prosecutor Amanda Gordon argued a minimum period of 15 years was required because of the " savage and frenzied" nature of the attack and "callousness" shown.
"The deceased could be heard crying out and screaming as he was being assaulted."
Gordon also said that while Ford suffered from mild cognitive impairment, his "chronic poly-substance abuse", including consumption of alcohol, synthetic cannabis and P were more prominent issues in his offending.
Defence lawyer Bill Lawson argued that a minimum non-parole period of 11-12 years was more appropriate given the scientific evidence described at least 4 blows struck Putai, and also his client's cognitive and mental health issues, plus his troubling background.
Lawson also cited a cultural background report before the court on Ford.
"In the adverse childhood questionnaire, Mr Ford scored seven out of ten where four is considered serious," he said.
Lawson also said Ford had no memory of the murder, which he said came after "an argument between two people who had been drinking heavily".
"It appears to be a rash reaction to an argument," he said.
Justice Davison QC referred to victim impact statements from Putai's partner and daughter and said it was clear both were still struggling to come to terms with his death
"You took her [Putai's daughter] father away from her and she does not understand how you could take an innocent person away from her and her family," he said.
Davison also referred to a pre-sentence report in which Ford claimed to not consider himself a violent person, despite getting "in into lots of fights".
Ford also told the pre-sentence report writer that if Putai had "just kept his mouth shut" he would not have attacked him, Justice Davidson revealed.
He described the violence Ford meted out as "unprovoked, serious and ongoing".
"Despite being rendered defenceless by your attack, you continued to strike Mr Putai with violent blow after violent blow ... in my view, that means the murder was committed with a high level of brutality, " Justice Davison said.
