WELLINGTON: A New Zealand court sentenced white supremacist Brenton Tarrant (29) who killed 51 Muslim worshippers in the country’s deadliest shooting to life in prison without parole. This is the first time such a sentence has been handed down in the country.
Tarrant admitted to 51 charges of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one charge of committing a terrorist act during the 2019 shooting rampage at two Christchurch mosques which he livestreamed on Facebook.
High Court Judge Cameron Mander said in Christchurch during sentencing: “Your crimes are so wicked that even if you are detained until you die it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment and denunciation. As far as I can discern, you are empty of any empathy for your victims.”
Tarrant, surrounded by guards, did not react to the sentence. Prosecutors told the court earlier that Tarrant wanted to instill fear in those he described as invaders and he carefully planned the attacks to cause maximum carnage.
Tarrant, who represented himself during the hearings but did not make submissions, said through a lawyer in court on Thursday that he did not oppose the prosecution’s application for a life without parole sentence.
The judge asked Tarrant before handing down the sentence if he had any comment. Tarrant just nodded when asked if he was aware he had the right to make submissions, but did not speak.