Life sentence for axe killer

The killer who murdered an Upper Hutt woman with an axe may have brought on his own irrational mental state by using illegal drugs, a judge says.

At the High Court in Wellington, Retimana Te Korou Nicholls, 37, was yesterday sentenced to life in jail, and has to serve at least 141⁄ years before he can be considered for parole.

He pleaded guilty to murder, two charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one of assault.

On December 11 last year, Nicholls attacked his best friend, Thomas Guerin, with a tomahawk, and then killed Guerin’s mother, Sandra, 55, who had been a mother figure to Nicholls.

Sandra Guerin was virtually beheaded. Prosecutor Dale La Hood said the death was savage.

Emotional victim impact statements from Sandra Guerin’s family were read to the court and reflected her harrowing death, their disbelief that it had happened in their family and to a compassionate woman who worked as a caregiver.

Family members said that Nicholls’ attack had broken them. One described how, among happy crowds at Christmas, they had shopped for clothes for Sandra Guerin to be buried in that fitted the undertaker’s advice for what was needed to cover her wounds.

After Nicholls’ sentencing, Guerin said he wanted him to stay in jail for life.