Peter John Carroll will spend at least 17 years in prison after severely beating a Christchurch man to death and setting his body on fire.

The 53-year-old was sentenced in the High Court at Christchurch on Thursday for the murder of Marcus Luke Tucker, 36, whose body was found near Lake Ellesmere, on Anzac Day last year.

A nine-day trial, which began in September, ended with a jury finding Carroll guilty of murder.

During the trial, Carroll said he only meant to intimidate Mr Tucker and did not intend to kill him.

Carroll used a steering wheel lock to hit Mr Tucker a number of times to the head.

Carroll and Mr Tucker were both involved in the city's drug scene, and that Mr Tucker had been using fake $100 notes to buy drugs days before his death.

The court was told that when Carroll realised Mr Tucker was dead, he and an associate wrapped the body in carpet, drove out to Lake Ellesmere and set it on fire.

Carroll was arrested six days after Mr Tucker's body was found.

The family of Mr Tucker, a father-of-three, read out victim impact statements in court.

Mr Tucker's younger sister Belinda Ross told media outside court that although Mr Tucker had his faults, he is forever loved and cherished, and they feel sad that they no longer have a connection to him in life.

"(Carroll) will never understand the pain (he has) inflicted on me... when I go to sleep at night I still see my brother's face," she said.

Mr Tucker's mum, Robyn, who was holding an urn with his ashes, says she now has "justice for my boy".

Justice Nicholas Davidson said the murder was "vicious" and "brutal", and the assault was pre-meditated.

He sentenced Carroll to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.Justice Nicholas Davidson said the murder was a vicious and brutal, where the assault was pre-meditated.