Killer claims victim ‘got what he deserved’

A Nelson man sentenced for the murder of a former friend shouted ‘‘he got what he f...ing deserved’’ as he was led from the court.

Martin Grant Price was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years in the High Court at Nelson on Thursday for the murder of John ‘‘Muzza’’ Murray Morton in August, 2016.

After Justice Robert Dobson handed down the sentence, Price shouted ‘‘we’ll be appealing this’’, before swearing at the judge.

As he was led away, Price said ‘‘he got what he f...ing deserved’’.

A jury found Price guilty after a week-long trial in March.

The trial heard that the pair were former friends who fell out over a debt and exchanged hundreds of abusive text messages in the months leading up to Morton’s death.

On August 4, 2016, Price went to Morton’s boat moored in Nelson Haven, where an argument escalated into a fight.

Morton was stabbed seven times and severely beaten on his legs, back and head.

Crown prosecutor Jackson Webber told the sentencing hearing that the case had aggravating factors, including trespass and a high level of brutality, which warranted the minimum sentence of 17 years.

Defence counsel Ron Mansfield said that the beating Morton received was ‘‘sadly unremarkable’’ in cases where people died, so casting it as a high level of brutality would set a precedent.

Justice Robert Dobson said that ‘‘though this [murder] is not of the highest brutality’’, it still was committed with a high degree of brutality, as it was ‘‘most likely’’ that Morton received most of his blunt force injuries while in the foetal position.

‘‘Given his [Price’s] lack of significant injury after the altercation, it is clear who was the dominating person in this fight.’’

Dobson said it was not unlikely that Price may have had the knife used to kill Morton, as Price had a history of assault charges and of making threats including the use of knives.

However, it was more likely that the knife was on board the boat already.

Dobson said that Price getting onto the boat to knock on the cabin door was also an aggravating factor, even though it was not a ‘‘classic home invasion’’.

‘‘The attack took place on the small boat he lived in at about three in the morning, when it is likely that Mr Morton was asleep or at least not expecting uninvited guests ... you were unexpected and uninvited.’’