Convicted double-killer Graeme Burton has been sentenced to 10 years' preventive detention for the attempted murder of another prisoner.
Burton, 39, was found guilty in November last year of trying to kill Dwayne Marsh by stabbing him 27 times with a 31cm sharpened steel rod in Auckland Prison at Paremoremo in December 2008.
At the High Court in Auckland on Friday, Justice Randerson told Burton there was no evidence that Marsh had attacked him, or that he had been provoked by him.
Justice Randerson said Burton showed a complete indifference and no remorse towards Marsh.
Burton previously was jailed for at least 26 years after killing Karl Kuchenbecker in the hills of Wainuiomata while on parole in 2007.
Burton, who is not eligible for parole until 2033, will serve the latest sentence concurrently.
Police say the sentence sends a message to prisoners that people will be held accountable for crime no matter where they are.
While it won't add to Burton's sentence, Detective Shane Page says he hopes it will be taken into account when he comes up for parole.
Burton's lawyer Peter Tomlinson says preventive detention for his client's latest crime was the only sentence available to hopefully assist and deter him.
Burton will be in a cell on his own for 23 hours a day and heavily guarded.
Mr Tomlinson believes Burton is likely to consider appealing against Friday's sentence. He says Burton's records suggests he has no remorse and is at a high risk of reoffending.
