Bid made to avoid the victims

The Christchurch mosque shooter tried to avoid facing his victims in court at his sentencing.

Court documents – which can now be reported on after Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 29, was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison without parole – show the Australian national applied for permission to appear at his sentencing by way of audio-visual link (AVL) only.

His defence counsel at the time tried to argue the move would save significant costs. They argued it would mean the Department of Corrections would not have to transfer him from Auckland, where he is being held in maximum security in Paremoremo Prison.

The law allows for AVL to be used during a sentencing at a judge’s discretion. The Crown opposed the application, citing the nature and seriousness of the charges, and the number of victims affected by the attacks.

It said the sentencing would ‘‘assume greater importance for the victims, as it has now become the focal point of the criminal proceeding’’ and there was no reason why such an important part of the criminal justice process could not be conducted in the usual way.

Justice Cameron Mander declined the shooter’s application, saying his physical presence was an important component of the administration of justice in this case. ‘‘The only apparent justification appears to be the defendant’s preference, which cannot displace the ordinary need for a defendant to be physically before the court for the purpose of being sentenced in the circumstances of such a serious case as this.’’

Justice Mander said justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.

It appeared the gunman was trying to ‘‘distance himself’’ from the criminal justice process.

During the four-day sentencing, the gunman had to face his victims and their families as they told him he was ‘‘a coward’’, ‘‘a devil’’, ‘‘a gutless lowlife’’ and ‘‘the trash of society’’. He remained mostly expressionless.