Mass murderer Lian Bin “Robert” Xie will spend the rest of his life behind bars for bludgeoning to death five members of his extended family at their Sydney home almost eight years ago.

Justice Elizabeth Fullerton today imposed five consecutive life sentences on the 53-year-old, for killing his brother-in-law Min “Norman” Lin, 45, Lin’s wife Yun Li “Lily” Lin, 43, her sister Yun Bin “Irene” Lin, 39, and the Lins’ two sons Henry, 12, and Terry, 9 at their North Epping home in July 2009.

All five victims reportedly suffered horrific head injuries when they were attacked with a hammer-like object.

Justice Fullerton described the murders as brutaul, calculous and “heinous in the extreme”.

She added that the victim’s bedrooms were spattered with “shed blood” while blood patterns suggested nine-year-old Terry had resisted the attack.

Xie was accused of sneaking into the Lin family home after cutting the electricity and, with a hammer-like weapon, beat Min and Lily while they slept before turning his attention to the children.

After a six-month trial in the NSW Supreme Court – four trials where two were aborted and a third hung – Xie was found guilty of the murders on January 12 by a majority of 11 jurors.

The former Chinese doctor and one-time restaurateur still maintains his innocence and his wife Kathy – Min’s sister – has supported him.

The ABC reports nor Xie or Kathy gave any reaction to today’s sentences.

– with other agencies