Port Elizabeth High Court Judge Glen Goosen has sentenced convicted double murderer, Morne' Van der Linden to an effective 22 years in prison.
29-year-old van der Linden had pleaded guilty to killing his wife's 79-year-old grandmother, Catherine Stofberg and her 54-year-old son Kenneth Morar in their Salsoneville home in August last year.
On two murder counts he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on each, however 8 years was ordered to run concurrently.
On count 3 of theft, Van der Linden was sentenced to 1 year imprisonment which will run concurrently with count 1, effectively he will serve 22 years imprisonment.
Judge Glen Goosen said on Wednesday that the nature of both murders could only be described as "horrifying".
Goosen said that photographs of their deaths depicted a "savage attack and both deceased suffered brutal, terrible deaths."
He added that the violent murders left a "deep feeling of revulsion."
However Goosen found that there were factors that amounted to substantial and compelling circumstances being present in the case.
He said that Van der Linden's consumption of alcohol on that day was a factor that contributed to the crimes, therefore he acted with a degree of diminished responsibility.
Meanwhile, there were emotional scenes in court when Van der Linden was seen weeping as his sisters Monique and Nicole bade him farewell.
His estranged wife, Roxanne, wept throughout proceedings while her uncle Lenneth Morar, who lost his mother and brother, welcomed the sentence on behalf of the family.
He said it would provide as closure for all those affected.
The Morar family praying outside court after court proceedings on Wednesday.
An emotional Morne' van der Linden embraces his twin sister Monique Boucher shortly after being sentenced on Wednesday.
Story and Pictures: Raahil Sain
