KEY POINTS:
Liam James Reid bowed and waved to a clapping crowd as he today began one of New Zealand's longest terms for murder, rape, and attempted murder.
Justice Lester Chisholm, who had previously described Reid as "an evil and dangerous predator" - said his arrogance was unbelievable. He imposed a minimum non-parole term of 26 years as well as preventive detention for the murder and rapes in Christchurch and Dunedin.
The gallery in the No 1 High Court at Christchurch was packed to see the sentencing of the man convicted of the rape and murder of deaf woman Emma Agnew, and the rape, sexual violation, attempted murder and robbery of a 21-year-old student in Dunedin.
Many of the audience were members of the deaf community and the sentencing session was interpreted for them with sign language.
The public gallery broke into applause as sentence was imposed. Reid, 36, shaven headed, tattooed and flanked by three prison officers, bowed to the crowd and then raised both arms in a kind of victory salute as he was led away.
In one sense, he has fulfilled his life's ambition. The medical reports prepared on him before sentencing say he wanted to be a serial murderer and rapist.
Outside the court, the family of Miss Agnew said they believed the judge had made the right decision, but it would not bring Emma back. Her brother said: "We can finally have peace. We can finally be left alone. We can think about our sister."
Garth McVicar of the Sensible Sentencing Trust was in court, and said on the steps of the courthouse: "We have got to be ecstatic about the sentence. Congratulations to the judge. He has sent a message to New Zealand that we won't accept this type of behaviour. It's one of the best sentencings we have seen."
He described Reid's arrogance in waving to the gallery as despicable and shocking and said he was "a scumbag".
Crown prosecutor Pip Currie said the crown sought up to 22 years non-parole term for the rape and murder of Miss Agnew, and an uplift for the Dunedin attack.
Sadisitic
She said the reports revealed Reid's sadistic sexual fantasies about rape and murder, and how he became blind with rage when he was angry. He could picture himself squeezing people's heads until they popped.
He had reported in detail that he would like to rape and murder and dispose of female victims. He spoke of a childhood desire to kill animals because he found that satisfying, but he thought killing a person would be better.
"He harboured some desire or wish to behave in the way he ultimately has," she said.
He had 61 previous convictions for threats, assaults, two aggravated robberies, but none were for sexual offending.
"It is an unenviable list of anti-social behaviour accompanied by violence."
Defence counsel David Bunce urged that a minimum non-parole term of no more than 20 years be imposed.
He said preventive detention was not an additional penalty but was imposed for the continuing safety of the community. But it was inherently difficult to predict the likelihood of further offending so many years in advance. The Parole Board would be in a better position to decide the matter at the time.
Justice Chisholm said it would have been immediately obvious to Reid, when he met Miss Agnew, that she was "deaf and vulnerable to your evil designs". He had not been deterred.
The later Dunedin attack had been premeditated, on a woman who was drunk and vulnerable, because Reid had with him the rope that was used to choke her during the sexual assault.
The judge said he had no doubt that he had strangled her and intended to leave her for dead.
Reid still denies all the offending and refuses to take treatment. Attempts at treatment have been stopped because of his hostility.
Justice Chisholm told him: "You are arrogant. You seek to dominate, particularly women. You are not lacking in intelligence and that is one of the dangers that underlie your activities. Sadly, there is not the slightest flicker of remorse. To sum up, you are an evil and dangerous predator."
He said there was not the slightest doubt that the jury had got it right.
The month-long trial not only heard of compelling DNA evidence linking Reid to both attacks, but forensic evidence also said that Miss Agnew had been punched or kicked in the vagina - which was also a feature of the attack described by the Dunedin victim, and evidence given by Reid's former partner of an attack on her during sex.
"Preventive detention provides an additional flag to emphasise the issue of risk to the Parole Board," Justice Chisholm said. "I am not persuaded that the fact that there is going to be a 26-year minimum non-parole period, and you have been sentenced to life imprisonment, should deter me from imposing preventive detention in this case."
He said the pre-sentence reports were "absolutely chilling", and referred to Reid speaking of his ambition to be a serial rapist and murderer.
Reid will be 62 when he becomes eligible for consideration for parole.
- NZPA
