Teina Pora on Malcolm Rewa's life sentence: 'It doesn't change what happened'

Teina Pora is happy for Susan Burdett's family but says Malcolm Rewa's conviction for her murder "doesn't change what happened" to him.

Pora wrongly served 22 years in prison for the brutal 1992 murder of Burdett, before being freed after a high-profile campaign to clear his name. He was later granted $3.5 million in compensation.

Today Rewa, a serial rapist, was jailed for life for Burdett's murder.

Pora said today: "I am pleased for the Burdett family. I hope this helps them.

"Like for me, it doesn't change what happened. But I feel good for them."

'I am pleased for the Burdett family. I hope this helps them': Teina Pora

Rewa's life sentence ends a case that has spanned 27 years and five trials.

Today, the 66-year-old was sentenced by Justice Geoffrey Venning in the High Court at Auckland.

After the judge ensured Rewa may never be set free, members of the public gallery began clapping.

Justice Venning said Rewa remained a manipulative and controlling person who remains a danger to the community.

Malcolm Rewa, 66, was today jailed for life for Susan Burdett's murder.

Burdett was bludgeoned to death with the baseball bat she kept for protection in her South Auckland home in 1992.

"Mr Rewa, on the night of March 23, 1992, you broke into Ms Burdett's home. You attacked her, you raped her and you killed her," Justice Venning said.

"The evidence against you was overwhelming.

"This was a particularly brutal attack following a home invasion, and committed during another serious offence."

Justice Venning said Rewa, having watched him throughout the trial and sentencing, showed "no indication of remorse".

In the courtroom today, as on the day of the murder verdict after a two-week trial, was private investigator Tim McKinnel.

Along with lawyers and journalists, McKinnel led the pursuit against one of this country's great injustices - the prosecution of Teina Pora.

Pora was just 17 years old when he was arrested and later twice wrongly convicted for murdering Burdett.

He spent 22 years in prison.

Justice Venning said Rewa "took advantage" of Pora's false confession.

Finally, after McKinnel's efforts with the aid of lawyers Jonathan Krebs and Ingrid Squire, Pora's conviction was quashed by the Privy Council in London in 2015.

Justice for Susan Burdett's family took 27 years.

A 1998 stay of the murder charge against Rewa was lifted in 2017, allowing the third trial to proceed.

McKinnel has described the guilty verdict as "justice merged with truth".

The five trials - three for Rewa and two for Pora - had been tough for Burdett's family, with a great deal of uncertainty and difficult times, he said.

"It always involved two families - Teina's and Susan's, you couldn't deal with one without the other."

McKinnel described Rewa as a "monster".

For Pora, McKinnel has said, the guilty verdict for Rewa was a day Pora had been waiting for.