Randle's life sentence for 'depraved' and 'sadistic' attack | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

THE parents of murdered Wanganui barmaid Tania McKenzie yesterday told a packed courtroom their world had been torn apart since Shane Randle killed their daughter in a "sadistic" and "depraved" attack.

Randle, 28, was sentenced at the High Court at Wanganui yesterday to life imprisonment for murder, with a minimum period of 19 years and to preventive detention on two sexual violation charges, with a minimum period of six years.

He was found guilty of the charges in March after a two and a-half week trial where he reacted violently when the verdict was read.

Yesterday he stood quietly throughout the hour long sentencing and was flanked by four prison guards as police officers guarded the dock.

Naelene and Garry McKenzie read their victim impact statements to a courtroom overflowing with supporters, police and reporters.

Mrs McKenzie said Tania was planning her life, to go overseas before coming home, getting married and having babies.

But what unfolded as she celebrated her 20th birthday on January 7, 2005, changed that forever.

"When I had a dream the other night of being strangled I felt what Tania must have felt ? alone and scared. Our natural instinct is to fight for life; she was so afraid and didn't want to die."

"She was helpless, she tried to cry out but no one except evil heard her."

Mrs McKenzie said Randle must have knocked her senseless otherwise she would have "fought like a tiger".

Tania always celebrated her birthday surrounded by family and friends and Mrs McKenzie planned a "mother-daughter bonding day" with her daughter before going home for cake.

"Instead she was utterly demoralised, her chest was exploding within her, trying to capture a moment of air, but nothing came as everything was broken inside her tiny body," she said.

Instead of shopping, Mrs McKenzie searched for her daughter as news broke a body had been discovered in the Whanganui River.

"Knowing only what a mother can know, a shadow came over my soul that day."

Mrs McKenzie said the family struggled after Tania's murder.

"We struggle to go on trying to behave normally in an abnormal world ... we go to work when all we want to do is run and escape. I can tell you how the pain came in waves and sucked the very breath out of my body, how the shock will never wear off."

"How my confidence, even in the simple things in life has been shattered ... I feel like damaged goods. Most parents want their children to go to university and be successful. We are just pleased to be alive as priorities of life become more simplistic," she said.

It was ironic that exactly 20 years after a Jewish doctor delivered her daughter Tania with "love", she was taken away by a "person with hate and Nazi symbols tattooed on his pathetic body".

Mrs McKenzie said Tania and Randle's worlds collided "with the force and horror of a plane crash or high speed car accident."

"Evil does not change, it has a history. But the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," Mrs McKenzie said.

Tania's father Garry said her murder changed his family forever.

"Tania's death wasn't just tragic it was needless. She had never hurt anyone in her life," he said.

He recalled having to go and identify her body in the morgue.

"I had a vision of her, slim and beautiful?but what I saw [at the morgue] was not my beautiful Tania."

His voicing cracking with emotion, Mr McKenzie detailed Tania's horrific injuries to the silent court.

"That was my last memory of Tania."

Not only did they have to deal with the loss of their daughter but an onslaught of media and public attention.

"It was sudden and intense. I was uncomfortable with the media attention and it was only for the strength of my wife that I decided 15 minutes before fronting the media to do it."

Venturing into public became a nightmare.

"People didn't know what to say to us and we didn't know what to say to them," he said.

He said he felt Tania's fear and spoke of his anguish of not being there for her when she was being beaten and "knew she would die".

"I wasn't there to help her. She was trusting and that was her downfall."

Justice Ronald Young revealed Randle had 73 prior convictions with several for serious violent offences.

"She looked at you as someone to trust and depend on," Justice Young said.

"It's difficult to know what happened after you left her flat where she changed her shoes, but you ended up at the riverbank where you attacked, sexually violated and murdered her," he said.

"The sexual assault was brutal and sadistic."

The fact Tania's injuries were similar to those seen in victims of plane crashes and high-speed car collisions "illustrated the violence".

"You made every effort to hide your guilt. You burnt your clothes and sent fake texts."

His attempt to blame others for the murder was "cowardly" and was rightly rejected as nonsense by the jury.

Justice Young said Randle's attack was "depraved".

"You have refused to accept guilt and shown no remorse," he said before sentencing him to life in jail.

"What right did you have to take a life?"