A man who admitted killing two women after hitting them with a baseball bat at their home has been jailed for life.
Joseph Ogle, 28, admitted killing Joelene Edmonds and Jashana Robinson at a house in Titahi Bay and was sentenced at the High Court in Wellington on Friday.
Ogle must serve at least 19 years in prison. He was also jailed for the maximum sentence of six months for breaching a protection order.
In June this year, Ogle took an aluminium baseball bat to the home his former partner Ms Edmonds, 21, as he was angry about a relationship she'd had with another man while he was in jail.
Ogle hit Jolene Edmonds with the bat before he woke her 16-year-old boarder Jashana Robinson and took her to Ms Edmonds' room. He then hit both women several more times, inflicting severe head injuries.
Justice Clifford described the double murder as a crime committed with a high level of brutality and callousness.
The court was told Ms Edmonds was ill when Ogle arrived at her home and he first struck her soon after seeing her vomit into a bucket next to her bed. Ogle then woke Ms Robinson and lured her into the room and bashed her to death to prevent her being a witness to his crime.
Justice Clifford said Ogle was affected by considerable violence at the hands of his father and would need intensive treatment to overcome his difficulties.
Members of both women's families read victim impact statements to the court on Friday.
Jolene Edmonds was described as a good mother who wanted what was best for her children, while family members said Jashana Robinson was a good daughter who loved to sing and dance and had a good sense of humour.
Outside court, Ms Edmonds' cousin Teresa Beckham says her family is traumatised by the thought of Ogle ever being released and the sentence amounts to less than 10 years for each life that was taken.
Porirua deputy mayor Litea Ah Hoi says while the sentence will probably send a strong message that such violence is not acceptable, 10 or 12 years for each woman's murder would have been better.
Women's Refuge chief executive Heather Henare says the sentence should have been closer to 18 years for each of the women's lives. Ms Henare says there have been some appalling cases of violence this year and offenders must be held accountable.
