A man with a lengthy history of stalking and attacking women has been jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years for murdering his ex-partner Chantal McDonald in front of her children at their Christchurch home.  But violent serial offender Nathan Boulter refused to stand in court in front of his victim’s family - including her teenage daughter who spoke for the first time about witnessing the murder - appearing by audio-visual link from another room in the court precinct instead.  The Herald has been reporting on Boulter’s horrifying offending since 2011 - after his high-profile stalking, kidnapping and assault of his ex-girlfriend on Great Barrier Island.  Since then, he has been jailed repeatedly for violent offending against women.  Boulter, 36, stabbed McDonald, 37, to death in her Parklands driveway in July last year as she arrived home from the supermarket with her teenage daughter and seven-year-old son.  He had been released from prison just 13 days earlier.  Nathan Boulter appeared via AVL for sentencing at the Christchurch High Court. Photo / Chris Skelton / Photo  After travelling to McDonald’s street on July 23, Boulter lay in wait - armed with a 19cm pig-sticking knife he had purchased a day earlier.  He carried out a “frenzied” attack as McDonald went to lock her gates after pulling into her Lamorna Rd property.  The 37-year-old was terrified of Boulter - who had sent her hundreds of messages and threats in the weeks leading up to the murder - and had taken to padlocking her gates to keep her family safe.  Boulter was on prison release conditions at the time.  Following the fatal attack, Corrections commissioned a review into Boulter’s management.  Police have earlier confirmed they were not notified of his harassment of McDonald.  Boulter pleaded guilty to murdering McDonald in November and was sentenced today in the High Court at Christchurch by Justice Owen Paulsen.  Members of McDonald’s family and their supporters packed the courtroom’s public gallery.  Montgomerie was also in the courtroom to see her attacker sent to prison for life.  The hearing began with four of McDonald’s family reading Victim Impact Statements.  Teen describes mum’s ‘disgusting’ murder  McDonald’s daughter was 17 when she was killed. She cannot be named for legal reasons.  “I witnessed the attack on my mum and what I saw and heard that day has had a severe and ongoing impact on me,” she said.  “The images, the injuries, and the screams come back to me without warning… the way my mum was taken from us was violent and disgusting, and the pain that I’ll continue to carry with me is something that nobody will ever understand.  “My little brother was only seven years old at the time. I’m very worried about the lasting impacts that this has had and will continue to have on him.  “Seeing our mum taken from us in such a violent way has caused trauma that will stay with us both forever. My mum was stabbed not only once, not twice, but 55 times all over her body, head, and her face - and I’m the one that has to live with those horrific visions.”  Nathan Boulter appeared via AVL for sentencing at the Christchurch High Court. Photo / Chris Skelton / Pool  The teen said that losing her mother had “taken away all of the future moments” the tight-knit pair should have shared.  “She wasn’t there when I turned 18, she won’t be there when I graduate, get married or have children of my own. She won’t be there for my 21st birthday or any of these milestones,” she said.  “These absences are consistent reminders of everything that has been taken from us.  “My mum was such a beautiful, strong-minded woman. Now the only way I can see or hear my mum is through photos and videos.”  McDonald’s death has affected “every part” of the teen’s life.  “That day I didn’t just lose my mum - I lost my...