Convicted triple murderer Henri van Breda was handed three life sentences at the Cape Town High court on Thursday for the murders of his family members.

Van Breda was found guilty of pre-planning the axe attack on his family at their Stellenbosch home in January 2015.

In handing down the scathing judgment, Judge Siraj Desai mentioned a few factors that led to his decision of three life sentences plus 15 years for attempted murder.

• The axe attack on the Van Breda family was pre-planned.

• The attack was brutal and cold blooded.

• Victims were unarmed and tried to protect themselves using only their hands.

• His brother, Rudi, was sleeping and did not expect the attack.

• His father Martin - whom the judge said was heroic - used his body to stop the attack on Rudi.

• Mother Theresa used her hands to stop the axe attack.

• Injuries sustained by the victims suggest cruelty and disregard for their wellness.

• The attack was on unarmed and defenceless victims

• There was a clear intent to kill Marli as well

• He did not show any remorse for killing his family with an axe during the course of trial

• The three murders and the attempted murder were committed around the same time or within a short period.

• Society expected a harsh sentence for the crimes

• He did not tell the court what led to the crimes.

“You have not told the court what precipitated these events that night. We know from an independent witness that there was an argument‚ a loud one‚ which persisted in your house for several hours," Judge Desai said.

“At best for you‚ we can assume that the crimes were not committed in a vacuum but were the product of some disgruntlement in the family.”

Henri van Breda's leave to appeal the sentences will be heard on 27 June.