Life and 27 years no parole for Tully

The Herald reports:

Work and Income double-killer Russell John Tully has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 27 years.

It is the second highest non-parole period ever handed down in New Zealand history.

Tully was found guilty in March of being the masked gunman who stormed the Ashburton Winz centre on September 1, 2014 and shot dead receptionist Peggy Noble, 67, from point blank range and three times shot case manager Susan Leigh Cleveland, 55, as she pleaded for her life.

The 50-year-old was also found guilty of attempting to murder case manager Kim Adams. He was found not guilty of attempting to murder case manager Lindy Curtis who was shot in the leg and badly injured hiding under a desk.

Good – an evil manipulative man with a huge sense of entitlement who should never get to terrorise people again. He will be 77 before he is even eligible for parole, and it seems unlikely even then he would be deemed safe to release. So hopefully the families of the victims can now start to rebuild their lives.