Merivale double-murderer Paul Tainui sentenced to a minimum 28 years

The man who brutally murdered a young Christchurch woman has been sentenced.

Paul Tainui, previously Paul Wilson, appeared in Christchurch District Court on Thursday morning after being found guilty of murder in October 2018.

He has been sentenced to a minimum 28 year life sentence.

Tainui will be 83 before he can be considered for parole.

He has also been given preventative detention for the rape of Tuxford, with a minimum period of 12 years.

The preventative detention sentence means even if he is released on parole, he will remain managed by Corrections for the rest of his life.

Tainui's cruel murder of 27-year-old Nicole Tuxford was not his first. He previously served 13 years for the 1994 torture and murder of another young woman, Kimberly Schroder.

Tainui was released on parole in 2011, and made headlines when he appeared as a groomsman at former cellmate David Bain's wedding.

Seven years after his release from jail, he killed Tuxford in her Christchurch home.

The 55-year-old waited at Tuxford's home for eight hours before brutally murdering her.

The family of Tainui's first victim argued against his 2011 release, believing he would kill again.

He appeared before the parole board five times before he was approved for release in 2010.

Schroder's family said he was a "monster" who had duped the prison system, and would be a danger if released. Tragically, they were right. 

Both of Tainui's victims were murdered in jealous rages, and both women had their throats cut.

Tainui was still on parole when he murdered Tuxford.

Newshub.