Man gets life for murder of prostitute

Jule Patrick Burns has begun a life term for the murder of prostitute Susan Gail Sutherland, but the Crown will ask for an extended minimum non-parole period.

Justice John Hansen imposed the life term after the jury returned a guilty verdict in the 11-day trial, after a 7-hour retirement today.

But he also fixed a sentencing day of April 10 after prosecutor Phil Shamy said the Crown would seek a minimum non-parole period for the murder of the woman known as Ritalin Sue, a drug addict who had spent 10 years as a sex worker.

Mr Shamy had described her in his closing address to the jury. "I am not saying she was a model citizen. She was generous, honest, not unintelligent. For 15 years she had been a drug addict. She knew how the system worked."

Mr Shamy had also described 31-year-old Burns as "cold blooded" for his actions on the night, and for his demeanour when he gave evidence last week.

The jury had rejected Burns' claim that he had sex with Miss Sutherland earlier in the night - and left his DNA on a condom at the scene - but had been at a nightclub at the time of the murder.

The defence was that she had been a drug addict, with drug debts and enemies, and she was killed by someone else.

Justice Hansen thanked the jury for their service and excused them from further duty for five years.

He said it had been an unpleasant case with unsavoury elements of drug taking and prostitution. "It has exposed you to something that normally none of you are exposed to," he said.

The family of the murder victim issued a statement at the court thanking the police and asking the media to respect their privacy.

They said: "It has been a great shock for Susan's family to have our beloved Susan taken from us through this brutal and callous murder. We now only have the memory of this beautiful woman who we shared our lives with through her childhood and early adult life.

"We don't judge Susan's lifestyle and choices. Justice has been served when someone like Susan who was marginalised is given the respect she deserves in death.

"We thank Susan's many friends here in Christchurch for their support. Her friends knew the same vibrant, gentle, kind and charismatic girl that we knew."

- NZPA