Source: Radio New Zealand
David Benbow was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non parole period of 17 years after a jury found him guilty of murder.
A former prison guard who murdered his childhood friend will have his appeal against conviction and sentence heard later this year.
David Benbow was sentenced in 2024 to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years after a jury found him guilty of murdering Michael McGrath.
McGrath was last seen alive in May 2017. Two years later, Benbow was charged with his murder – accused of fatally shooting his childhood friend.
Neither the gun, nor McGrath’s body, have been found despite extensive searches.
After his first trial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict. At his second trial, he was found guilty of murder.
The Court of Appeal confirmed to RNZ a hearing date for Benbow’s appeal on conviction and sentence had been set for November 9 and 10.
McGrath’s brother, Simon McGrath, told RNZ Benbow continued to show a “disturbing lack of empathy and remorse despite the clinically clear weight of evidence against him that has resulted in his unanimous murder conviction”.
At sentencing, Justice Jonathan Eaton described the murder as an execution style killing.
He said the high level of planning, including the fact that McGrath’s body has never been found, added to the length of the sentence.
Michael McGrath was last seen alive in May 2017. NZ Police
During the Christchurch High Court trial, the prosecution said that Benbow killed McGrath after learning that he was in a relationship with Benbow’s ex-partner of 17 years, Joanne Green.
McGrath’s mother, Adrienne McGrath, said she could not believe her son would never come home again.
In her victim impact statement, she said she still laid in bed some nights and hoped her son would come knocking at her window.
“I’ll never forget that first night when I realised that Michael was missing. That memory will haunt me forever.
“I still experience the pain of losing him every day, especially when I see or hear things that remind me of him.”
McGrath’s brother Simon, speaking after the guilty verdict, said the family still wanted to know where his brother’s body was.
Simon said he hoped the government considered legislative changes to stop killers who do not co-operate with police being eligible for parole.
“I believe New Zealand needs to strengthen the law to follow … what’s in many Australian states – no body, no parole.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
