Jacinda Ardern Hails NZ Shooter’s Sentence as Lifetime of Silence

The 29-year-old Australian gunman, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, killed 51 people and injured 40 others.

File image of New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern.

(Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern welcomed the life sentence for the gunman who killed 51 people at two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch city in 2019.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant was sentenced to life in prison without parole, a court announced on Thursday, 27 August.

According to AFP, responding to the verdict, Arden said: "The trauma of 15 March is not easily healed but today I hope is the last where we have any cause to hear or utter the name of the terrorist behind it.”

“He deserves to be a lifetime of complete and utter silence.”   

Jacinda Arden, according to AFP   

‘Your Crimes are So Wicked:’ Court

The verdict came after three days of the final hearing of the case at the high court in Christchurch, reports Xinhua news agency. It is being purported as the first of it’s kind.

The 29-year-old Australian gunman, Tarrant, who killed 51 people and injured 40 others, mostly worshippers, on 15 March 2019, was sentenced on 51 murder charges, 40 attempted murder charges and one terrorism charge.

“Your crimes are so wicked that even if you are detained until you die, it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment,” said Judge Cameron Mande during the sentencing, reported BBC.

On imposing a sentence of life without parole, Justice Mander said: “If not here, then when?”

According to IANS, Tarrants lawyer said, on behalf of him, that he did not oppose the prosecution's application for a life without parole sentence. Previously too, he had refused the right to speak at his sentencing.

During this week's sentencing, the court had heard that the gunman planned to target another mosque but was detained by officers on the way, reported IANS.

A total of 91 victims or their families gave impact statements at the hearing that started on Monday. According to IANS, the attack prompted New Zealand to reform its gun laws.