The Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by the man convicted of murdering Auckland woman Marie Jamieson for a reduction in his sentence.
The body of the 23-year-old was found nine days after she went missing in 2001 but her killer was not arrested until after a DNA breakthrough seven years later.
Joseph Reekers admitted her murder and was sentenced to at least 15 years in jail. This year he appealed against that term on grounds including that evidence he had slit her throat was never proven.
In a ruling issued on Thursday the Court of Appeal said the killing was brutal, and was committed when Ms Jamieson was vulnerable.
The court said Reekers disposed of Ms Jamieson's body in a way that displayed his callous attitude towards her.
It said there is a need to protect the community and impose a sentence that is a real deterrent for Reekers.
