Stephen Hudson to serve 16 years

The murderer of Palmerston North man Nicholas Pike will serve a life sentence in prison with no prospect of freedom for the next 16 years.

Stephen Thomas Hudson, 39, was sentenced in the High Court in Wellington yesterday for the "callous" and premeditated "execution"-style murder of Mr Pike on the Desert Rd more than seven years ago.

During the 30-minute sentencing a long-haired and volatile Hudson repeatedly mouthed off and interrupted proceedings.

During Justice Ronald Young's summing up Hudson leapt into a diatribe pledging his innocence.

"Well it's bullshit, I didn't kill Nick and now you're going to put the boot in. It's prejudice and perjury."

After a warning from Justice Young, Hudson kept reasonably quiet.

In the 20 years leading up to murdering Mr Pike in March 2002, Hudson had racked up a raft of convictions. The infamous drug dealer had jumped from the dock in the Palmerston North courthouse in 1997 leading to police firing tear gas which accidentally set a house on fire.

He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in November 2001.

The following year he was sentenced to a further sentence of three years nine months for another serious assault. Several months after being captured in May 2002, he escaped from Manawatu Prison only to be caught in Tauranga in January 2003.

Later that year his prison sentence was topped up to 12 years, which he is still serving.

Justice Young told the court how Hudson had left his girlfriend Cindy Vrins on the side of the Desert Rd before he drove down a side road with Mr Pike.

Hudson returned alone with no blood or signs of a fight 10 to 15 minutes later. "I'm satisfied that you hatched a plan to kill Mr Pike. "You perceived him being a risk to your freedom."

Hudson returned to the murder scene and disposed of Mr Pike's body. "You continue to deny your offending, so there is no remorse, and sadly Mr and Mrs Pike cannot bury their son."

Justice Young sentenced Hudson to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 16 years but stressed it was a minimum. "You are, in my assessment, a very serious danger to the community.

"The public are entitled to be protected from you."

Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk said a minimum non-parole of 17 years was appropriate, while Hudson's lawyer Mike Antunovic suggested 13 to 15 years wouldn't be out of the question.

Justice Young cautioned the parole board to be "very cautious" when considering releasing Hudson from prison.

Outside the court, the Pikes said they were relieved it was over but no sentence would be long enough.