A ROAD-RAGE killer in New Zealand who told his stabbing victim "I like the taste of your blood" and licked the knife will spend "one of the best decades of [his] life" in prison.

Shayd Robinson, 21, was sentenced in the High Court at Wellington on Friday to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years for murdering father-of-two Aaron Hadfield, 27, in Stokes Valley in January last year.

During his trial, the court was told Robinson and another man, Axl Stark, took exception to the way Mr Hadfield was driving, and when he stopped his car, Robinson started punching the 27-year-old through the open window.

Robinson then took out a knife and stabbed Mr Hadfield once in the chest, penetrating his heart and lung.

The court was told he licked the knife and said he liked the taste of Mr Hadfield's blood, but Robinson said he had no recollection of that.

Mr Hadfield died in hospital the next morning.

Sentencing Robinson on Friday, Justice Forrest Miller said he believed Robinson did not intend to kill Mr Hadfield, and was "mouthing off in the heat of the moment" when he made the remark about his blood.

Robinson had a "most difficult" childhood, with a violent father and both of his parents abused alcohol and drugs.

Robinson had been beaten and stabbed by "skinheads" in 2008, an attack which left him fearful and reclusive, and he began carrying a knife for self-defence.

Despite his upbringing, Robinson had no prior convictions, which was "quite an achievement", Justice Miller said.

"But for this confrontation, you might have made something of yourself," he said.

"You will spend what ought to be one of the best decades of your life behind bars."

Stark, 23, was earlier sentenced to four months' home detention after admitting to assault and intentional damage in relation to the incident.