Christchurch gunman faces sentencing hearing

The Australian white supremacist who killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in New Zealand last year will face survivors of his attack on Monday at a sentencing hearing.

Australian Brenton Tarrant is likely to be jailed for life for the rampage.

Tarrant pleaded guilty in March and was convicted of 51 murders, 40 attempted murders and one charge of terrorism.

He is expected to appear in court for a four-day hearing at which survivors and victims' family members will speak.

The hearing will take place at the courthouse in Christchurch, the city where Tarrant carried out the attacks in March 2019. The first session is due to begin on Monday at 10:00 (22:00 GMT Sunday).

Tarrant, 29, from New South Wales, had previously denied the charges and was due to face trial in June, before reversing his plea. He now faces a minimum sentence of 17 years, but Justice Cameron Mander, the High Court judge presiding over the case, has the power to sentence him to a full life term with no parole - a sentence never before imposed in New Zealand.

More than 60 people will give in-person victim impact statements at the sentencing hearing. Some have travelled from overseas and undergone a two-week coronavirus quarantine in order to take part.