The moment of truth has arrived for victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks, dozens of whom will attend court for the terrorist’s sentencing.
Victims and family members of the 51 people murdered by Australian man Brenton Tarrant have travelled from across the world, Australia and New Zealand to take part.
Sixty-six will be offered the chance to speak and share their loss in a Christchurch court over four days, beginning Monday.
Justice Cameron Mander will bear their suffering in mind when giving his sentence at the end of the lengthy hearing, which is expected to be life imprisonment, and possibly with no chance of parole.
The moment of truth has arrived for victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks, dozens of whom will attend court for the terrorist’s sentencing
Sixty-six will be offered the chance to speak and share their loss in a Christchurch court over four days, beginning Monday
Victims and family members of the 51 people murdered by Australian man Brenton Tarrant have travelled from across the world, Australia and New Zealand to take part
On March 15 last year, Tarrant attacked two Christchurch Mosques, killing 51 worshippers while live-streaming his crimes (pictured, Al Noor Mosque)
‘That’s never been imposed in New Zealand,’ renowned local lawyer Nigel Hampton QC told TVNZ.
‘But (Justice Mander) in his discretion can say ‘sorry but no, you’re serving life imprisonment without the right to apply for parole’.’
On March 15 last year, Tarrant attacked Al-Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre, killing 51 worshippers while live-streaming his crimes.
Those videos and images continue to live on dark corners of the internet despite the efforts of the NZ Government and tech companies to remove them.
Tarrant has pleaded guilty to 51 murders, 40 attempted murders and one terrorism charge.
He also sacked his legal team last month and will represent himself.
Mr Hampton said Tarrant’s decision to represent himself and be present in the courtroom, and the sheer weight of family members to give evidence, would mean ‘the emotional temperature in that courtroom is going to rise considerably’.
However, not all of the 50-plus victims who have travelled from around the world – including Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Jordan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Fiji, Egypt and Singapore – will make it to Christchurch.
Nine who were granted entry by the government ‘have been unable to reach New Zealand in time due to COVID-related travel disruptions’, according to Victims Support NZ.
They will instead watch the livestream of proceedings from their hotel rooms where they are undergoing mandatory isolation.
Justice Cameron Mander will bear their suffering in mind when giving his sentence at the end of the lengthy hearing, which is expected to be life imprisonment, and possibly with no chance of parole (pictured, family and survivors of the Christchurch mosque shootings outside of the Christchurch High Court on Monday)
Armed police officers patrol the rooftop of the Christchurch High Court on Monday
Christchurch’s justice precinct has been transformed ahead of the week, with Tarrant reportedly staying in the building which houses both the courtroom and police headquarters in the city’s CBD.
The 29-year-old returned to Canterbury on Sunday for the first time since the atrocity, flown from Auckland on an Air Force Hercules plane and taken by local police and corrections staff.
Heavily armed police are stationed on both sides of the building, which has been barricaded off from the street, with local media capturing images of military-style vehicles in the precinct.
Armed police also are also keeping watch outside the two mosques that Tarrant attacked.
Christchurch’s justice precinct has been transformed ahead of the week, with Tarrant reportedly staying in the building which houses both the courtroom and police headquarters in the city’s CBD (pictured, people wait outside a mosque in central Christchurch in 2019)
Heavily armed police are stationed on both sides of the building, which has been barricaded off from the street, with local media capturing images of military-style vehicles in the precinct (pictured, mourners pay their respects at a memorial outside the Masjid Al Noor mosque at Christchurch in 2019)