Roading worker Dean Cameron has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 19 years for the murder of Christchurch schoolgirl Marie Davis, and to preventive detention for her rape.
The body of Marie Davis, 15, was found wrapped in bedding and weighed down in the Waimakariri River in April last year. She had been missing for 12 days.
At the sentencing on Monday, Miss Davis' mother Janet Davis read an emotional victim impact statement to the High Court in Christchurch, saying Cameron had destroyed her family and she would always feel anger, hatred and bitterness towards him.
Marie Davis' sister Amy Davis told the court that seeing Cameron made her skin crawl.
Supporters of the family called out: "He's a mongrel" and reacted angrily when Cameron's lawyer said there was no suggestion of sadism or prolonged suffering about the crime.
The court heard that Cameron, 39, committed the crime just nine months after his release from prison for sexual violation of his former partner.
Justice Chisholm said Cameron's lack of remorse was despicable and the community shared the family's unbridled anger at the senseless murder.
The judge said Cameron had a long list of previous convictions for violence and posed an unacceptably high risk to the community.
Outside court, Janet Davis said though she is angry that her daughter's killer has shown no remorse or admitted to the crime, she is relieved that he has been jailed indefinitely.
Amy Davis said the murder was unjustified, cruel and had shaken her world. She was pleased with the tough sentence, but said no jail term could be long enough.
She said she was upset that Cameron has shown no remorse for the crime. "It's disgusting. He's not human in my eyes - he's just an animal."
Cameron's lawyer has confirmed that he will appeal against the conviction and sentence.
