Hatred expressed as murderer jailed
Rebecca McMaster has flashbacks of her partner lying on the floor, blood pooling around him. On top of him is their neighbour attempting to apply pressure to the knife wounds he had inflicted.
Mark Cowling was stabbed to death at his home in Edgeware, Christchurch, by Tristan Ross Locke, 31, following a dispute over loud music on September 6, 2020.
Locke, who last month was found guilty of the 44-year-old’s murder, was sentenced in the High Court at Christchurch yesterday to life imprisonment. Justice Cameron Mander imposed a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.
McMaster’s victim impact statement was read. The pair have a daughter who was not even a year old at the time of the murder.
She said she wanted to crumble after Cowling died, but had to keep going for their daughter.
McMaster said she wanted to see Locke spend the rest of his life in prison. ‘‘I hate Tristan for what he has done to our family. Our future has been stolen. Mark will never come home to us.’’
Cowling, originally from New Plymouth, moved to Christchurch six years ago, said his father, Graham Cowling. He said Cowling had no job, no accommodation and likely very little money, but he set about forging a new life.
He was proud of what his son had accomplished in Christchurch – he found a steady job, established his own home, and had a wonderful partner and young daughter.
Cowling’s mother, Carol Cowling, said her son was ‘‘a bright light’’ in her life. She described him as fun-loving, inquisitive, and someone with a natural ability to be empathetic and protective of others. ‘‘A small man in build who carried a large and loving heart.’’
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Erik Monasterio has assessed Locke as being of ‘‘a superior intellect’’, but mental health issues stopped him from achieving.
He was autistic, had an antisocial personality disorder, suicidal thoughts and impulses, and disruptive behaviour.
Defence lawyer Kirsten Gray said Locke and his family felt the mental health system had let him down.
Crown prosecutor Barnaby Hawes said the Crown accepted that Locke’s mental health was a contributing factor to the crime, and while it was not an excuse, it was a mitigating factor.
Even though Locke refused to engage with a pre-sentence report writer, he was assessed as being at high risk of inflicting harm to the community and at medium risk of reoffending.
Justice Cameron Mander said a unique aspect to Locke’s case was that he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The killing was ‘‘an entirely senseless act’’, Justice Mander said, but Locke’s mental health had to be taken into account.