Auckland, Feb 16 NZPA - People like convicted murderer Tony Worrell, who used his car as a weapon were "bloody idiots" and would be held accountable at the highest level, police said.

Worrell, 50, was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 14 years in the High Court in Auckland yesterday after being earlier convicted of murder by using his car as a weapon.

A jury found he deliberately drove his car at other cars in Karaka, south of Auckland in June, 2008, killing Katie Powles, 26, a newly married woman, and badly injuring Brett Robinson.

Worrell, an alcoholic, was told by Justice Pamela Andrews yesterday he deliberately used his car to plough into his victims' vehicles and that made the car a weapon.

Outside court Senior Sergeant Al Symonds said the thoughts of the police were with the families of the victims and he had nothing to say about Worrell.

"The only message we have is if you drink then drive and choose to use your care like this, not only are you a bloody idiot, but you will be held accountable at the highest possible level.

"Katie Powles will never come back. She never lived a life, she never had a family and Brett Robinson is still suffering, every day, from the injuries he received," Mr Symonds said.

The incident followed a day of drinking after Worrell and his wife had separated because of his drinking and the day he had been discharged from treatment for his alcoholism.

Worrell said immediately after he was jailed for 14 years he would appeal his conviction.

His lawyer Matthew Goodwin said Worrell had gone to some lengths to indicate his remorse and how deeply sorrow he was at what he had done.

On the appeal, Mr Goodwin said there was a question over his legal liability and whether he was guilty of murder.

"Murder is the most extreme end of the scale and vehicular cases are normally charged in the homicide sense as manslaughter and to be charged with murder is unusual," Mr Goodwin said.

"Whatever happens he is clearly remorseful. He has to live with the fact that, one way or the other he has killed Katie Powles and seriously hurt Brett Robinson."

He said because of his emotional state Worrell was finding prison life hard.

Worrell was also jailed for seven years on one charge of causing grievous bodily harm and for 18 months on each of two charges of attempting to cause intentional damage.