A Christchurch man with no previous convictions for violence told the police he "just lost it" when asked to explain why he stabbed his neighbour 17 times after she allegedly made a racist comment.
Colin Albert Hoani has been sentenced in the High Court in Christchurch to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years, for killing Valmai McFie, 67, outside her Spreydon flat.
Colin Albert Hoani Photo: RNZ
Before sentencing Hoani, Justice Pankhurst read out his statement to police in which he said a racist comment from Valmai McFie in July last year was the last straw in a 12-month-long feud between the neighbours.
Hoani pleaded guilty to the murder and the judge said he appeared to have an insight into the pain he had caused to the victim's friends and family.
The judge also said he had shown remorse for his crime.
Mrs McFie's niece, Louise Wegner-Parker, travelled from Brisbane to give a victim impact statement and asked why more was not done to protect her aunt from Hoani by her landlord, the Christchurch City Council.
Ms Wegner-Parker described Hoani as a monster and said his minimum 10-year prison term was not enough.
