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He is a terrorist, an inhumane and wicked mass killer – a "monster" and "undoubtedly" New Zealand's "worst murderer". And now Brenton Harrison Tarrant will never be released from prison, spending the rest of his life behind bars without any possibility of parole. Video / Chris Tarpey
He is a terrorist, a mass killer – a "monster" and "undoubtedly" New Zealand's "worst murderer".
And Brenton Harrison Tarrant will never be released from prison, spending the rest of his life behind bars without any possibility of parole.
"I consider you to be a highly dangerous criminal who demonstrably has no regard for human life," said Justice Cameron Mander yesterday as he handed down the harshest sentence in the country's history.
"Your crimes are so wicked that even if you are detained until you die it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment.
"You are not only a murderer – but a terrorist.
"You committed mass murder, you slaughtered unarmed defenceless people, you maimed, wounded and crippled many others."
He initially pleaded not guilty to his offending but later changed his mind and admitted 51 charges of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one of engaging in a terrorist act, laid under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002.
He had nothing to say about his offending in court, opting to "remain silent and say nothing at all" this week.
Sentencing began with submissions from Christchurch Crown Solicitor Mark Zarifeh.
He urged Justice Mander to impose the maximum penalty available and said Tarrant undoubtedly met the threshold for life without parole.
The sentence was "clearly intended for the worst murders".
"The enormity of the offending in this case is without comparison in New Zealand's legal history," he said.
"He had a desire to create terror in the Muslim community and beyond ... These were meticulously planned attacks with the aim of executing as many people as possible.
"He caused permanent and immeasurable suffering and harm to victims and families, Muslim community and New Zealand."
Zarifeh said Tarrant showed "extreme violence, cruelty and callousness" and caused "devastating loss and injury".
"Many of those shot were on their knees at prayer with their backs to the offender, they were clearly vulnerable," he said.
Tarrant – who remained stony-faced and unemotional for the entire three-hour sentencing process - did not oppose the Crown's bid for life without parole.
Brenton Tarrant listens to Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh during sentencing. Photo / Pool
He did not speak in court other than to confirm he knew his legal rights and did not want to make any submissions.
Kerry Cook – a lawyer appointed directly by Justice Mander in the role to assist the court and concentrate on the relevant law around life without parole – also made a submission.
Cook said the court was "acutely aware" Tarrant was entitled to a fair court process regardless how "distasteful" his crimes were.
He said all, irrespective of conduct, had inherent human rights that should be enjoyed in all circumstances - even those who ignore them to the catastrophic detriment of others.
He said the public protection element was not diminished with a life sentence and imposition of minimum non-parole period.
"Life does mean life if an undue risk was still present," Cook said.
There was a chance, he told the court, that Tarrant could be rehabilitated.
Justice Mander then turned to the formal sentencing.
Justice Cameron Mander has handed down his sentence to Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant. Photo / Pool
He revealed that Tarrant, in psychological and pre-sentence reports, claimed the attack was "non-personal and chaotic".
In the interviews with the report writers Tarrant talked about his victims in the abstract, showing no concern for them or their families, and speaking in a matter-of-fact way about the attacks.
Paradoxically though, he also described the offending as "unnecessary, abhorrent and irrational" and said that "nothing good" came from the terror attack.
He then claimed he was not racist or xenophobic and had dropped his white supremacist beliefs since being locked up.
He said his political and social views he'd spouted to justify his actions were not real, claiming he had been in a "poisoned emotional state".
He wasn't happy at the time, feeling ostracised and that he'd wanted to damage society in an act of revenge. But he also described it as "definitely an act of terrorism".
Tarrant dismissed any suggestion of rehabilitation – saying he "does not want help" and no professional had the skills to help him.
Rather, he was the only person who could psychoanalyse himself.
A mosque shooting survivor reacts as he leaves the Christchurch High Court after the sentencing hearing for Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, in Christchurch.
Justice Mander said Tarrant had shown pitiless cruelty, no empathy or remorse and was narcissistic.
He then read from the summary of facts – warning those in the public gallery that what he had to say may be upsetting, and calling for calm and quiet as he carried out the formal sentencing exercise.
Names of the dead - and exactly how they were killed - were read as their spouses, parents, children sat listening.
"They are living their own sentence," said Justice Mander.
"People witnessed scenes they should have not experienced ... Some have been devastated by what they went through and their lives forever altered."
At about 2pm, after blasting Tarrant for being "empty of any empathy", "detached" and entirely self-centred, he handed the terrorist his fate.
