It culminated in the first-ever life imprisonment without the possibility of parole sentence in New Zealand history.

Sentencing began on 24 August 2020 before Justice Cameron Mander at the Christchurch High Court,[1] and it was televised.

[3][4] The Crown prosecutors demonstrated to the court how Tarrant had meticulously planned the two shootings and more attacks,[5][6] while numerous survivors and their relatives gave victim impact statements, which were covered by national and international media.

[10][11] It was also the first time that life imprisonment without parole, the maximum sentence available in New Zealand, had been imposed.

[note 1] Mander said Tarrant's crimes were "so wicked that even if you are detained until you die, it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment and denunciation.