A Dutch court sentenced a man who shot four people dead and wounded several others on an Utrecht city tram in 2019 to life in prison, for what judges ruled was a terrorist attack.

Key points: The attack came days after a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch

The attack came days after a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch The presiding judge said Tanis carried out a "cold-blooded" terror attack

The presiding judge said Tanis carried out a "cold-blooded" terror attack The shooting took place in a residential area with a large immigrant population

Judges said the man, Turkish-born Gokmen Tanis, 38, had shown no remorse and was fully responsible for his actions, despite having low intelligence and a personality disorder.

Tanis's attack on March 18 2019, came just days after a gunman killed 50 people in mass shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.

He was not in court to hear the verdict, due to restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Judge Ruud van Veldhuisen said Tanis carried out a "cold-blooded" terror attack that sent shock waves through the central city of Utrecht and the rest of the Netherlands.

"The suspect stepped into a tram in broad daylight and there sowed death and destruction," Judge van Veldhuisen said.

Tanis did not answer questions during his trial and was repeatedly removed from court for insulting judges, his lawyer and families of victims.

The shooting took place in Kanaleneiland, a quiet residential district on the outskirts of Utrecht, with a large immigrant population.

Authorities raised the terrorism threat in Utrecht to its highest level following the shootings. ( AP: Peter Dejong )

Tanis walked onto the tram in Utrecht and used a pistol with a silencer attached and shot passengers at close range.

He then jumped out of the tram and shot a man sitting behind the wheel of a car.

Three people in the tram were killed and the man in the car died of his injuries more than a week later.

Tanis did not know his victims.

Authorities raised the terrorism threat in Utrecht to its highest level following the shootings, schools were told to shut their doors and paramilitary police increased security at airports and mosques.

Reuters/AP