Killer locked up for 17 years

Police examine the scene where the Christchurch woman was killed. Picture / Simon Baker

A man who is unrepentant after strangling a prostitute will spend at least 17 years in prison, a sentence reserved for the country's worst murderers.

Jule Patrick Burns, 31, picked up former Auckland woman Susie Sutherland for sex from Christchurch's red-light district last April, drove her to a vacant inner-city section in the dark and strangled her in an attack described by an expert as among the most violent he had seen.

Her naked body was found on the section.

Yesterday in the High Court at Christchurch, Justice John Hansen sentenced Burns, a South African immigrant, to life imprisonment with a minimum 17-year, non-parole period.

The judge was convinced Ms Sutherland's killing justified the extended minimum non-parole period, which can be imposed for murders with a high degree of brutality, cruelty, callousness or depravity, or where the victim is considered vulnerable.

The sentence was praised by the Prostitutes Collective as a strong deterrent to anyone with a desire to hurt a sex worker.

Burns showed no emotion during the sentencing. He continued to claim his innocence in the face of overwhelming evidence of his guilt.

"We will never know exactly what happened. The only person who can enlighten us on that is you and you have chosen not to do that," Justice Hansen told Burns.

Justice Hansen said he could not ignore the evidence of experienced forensic pathologist Martin Sage, who said the violence in Ms Sutherland's murder was at the top end of the scale.

"It spoke volumes of the force and strength you used."

The evidence of people who overheard the attack on Ms Sutherland from their beds was "graphic as to Ms Sutherland's last moments".

Despite Ms Sutherland's background and drug addictions, she was "much loved" by her family.

They may have felt some guilt that they did not do enough for her, but they should not feel that way, Justice Hansen said.

Crown prosecutor Phil Shamy said it was apt to describe Burns as a "cold-blooded killer".

"This woman was little in stature and didn't stand a chance against this man who was standing over her. She was particularly vulnerable, as all prostitutes who work on the street are to this type of offending."

Burns' lawyer Rupert Glover said there had never been any satisfactory explanation for the murder.

It was "some element of a sexual transaction that went wrong".

Burns clearly had some "Achilles heels and one of these was triggered that night and we will never know why".

Outside the court, Prostitutes Collective regional co-ordinator Anna Reed said the judge's remarks were "spot on".

"It was good to see her treated with the respect and dignity that she deserved. It's brought some sort of closure to her family.

"I think [the sentence] will be a very strong deterrent for other men who may be wanting to perpetrate violence against sex workers."

A key to police finding Ms Sutherland's killer was a DNA match with skin found under her fingernails.

Police had checked the owners of 1500 white Honda vehicles similar to the one seen at the murder scene.

A voluntary DNA sample taken from Burns was sent with other samples to the Institute of Environmental Science and Research for analysis.

Longest sentences

Longest minimum non-parole sentences:

* Triple RSA murderer William Bell: 30 years, reduced on appeal from 33 years.

* Bruce Thomas Howse, who killed his stepdaughters Saliel Aplin and Olympia Jetson: 25 years, reduced on appeal from 28 years.

* Mark Lundy, who killed his wife Christine and daughter Amber: 20 years, increased on appeal from 17 years.

* Scott Watson, who killed Olivia Hope and Ben Smart in the Marlborough Sounds: 17 years.

* Ese Junior Falealii, who gunned down pizza worker Marcus Doig and bank teller John Vaughan: 17 years