Killer, 34, who fatally stabbed a girl, 17, and then raped a woman in a bookshop days later argues he was insane in a bid to reduce his sentence
- Sean Christian Price tried to reduce his sentences on claims he was not sane
- The 34-year-old is in jail over stabbing murder of teenager and rape of a woman
- Price said 'public anger' was partly linked to judge who 'erred' in his sentencing
- He claimed he was badly represented and pleaded guilty because he was beaten
A man who stabbed a teenager to death and raped a woman in a bookshop only days later argued he was insane in a bid to reduce his sentence.
Convicted killer Sean Christian Price, 34, represented himself via video link in the Court of Appeal in Melbourne to appeal his two sentences, The Australian reported.
'I admit I’m guilty, not of the rape, but of the murder of Masa Vukotic,' he said.
'But in future I want to argue I was mentally impaired.'
Price copped a 41-year prison sentence for the stabbing murder of Masa Vukotic, 17, in a Doncaster park March 2015 and the rape of a woman in a Christian bookshop only days later.
Convicted killer Sean Christian Price, 34 (pictured), represented himself via video link in the Court of Appeal in Melbourne to appeal his two sentences
Price copped a 41-year prison sentence for the stabbing murder of Masa Vukotic, 17 (pictured), in a Doncaster park March 2015 and the rape of a woman in a Christian bookshop only days later
Justice Lex Lasry gave Price the prospect of parole only because of his guilty plea.
Justices Simon Whelan, Stephen McLeish and Terry Forrest listened to Price as he tried to convince them of his insanity.
Not only did he say judge Lex Lasry 'erred' in the sentencing decision, but that defence lawyers and prosecution were in collusion.
'When the public anger calms down, they can see I wasn’t given a fair trial.'
A psychiatric report at the time found he was mentally ill and had a personality disorder, but was not mentally impaired.
Price said he intended to appeal his conviction and that he would've withdrawn his guilty plea before sentencing.
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Though he found himself to be inadequately represented when his lawyers failed to show up at the time.
According to Price, his lawyers were under the direction of Public Prosecutions director Kerri Judd QC.
What's more, he claimed he was beaten while on remand and was only treated days later - yet another reason as to why he pleaded guilty at the time.
Price made a rude gesture as three Court of Appeal judges on Friday told him there was little prosect his appeal against his sentence would succeed, or that the minimum 38-year term would be reduced.
'I admit I’m guilty, not of the rape, but of the murder of Masa Vukotic (pictured),' Sean Christian Price said
Justices Whelan, McLeish and Forrest raised questions about a sentence handed down a year later by Justice Meryl Sexton in connection with the bookshop rape.
The rape breached a 10-year supervision order after Price, then 19, carried out a series of sexual attacks in suburban Melbourne in 2003, attacking three women on the street and another in front of her children after following her home.
Justice Whelan said they were considering the possibility Price was double sentenced for the rape, given Justice Sexton's breach sentence appeared to quote verbatim from the rape sentence.
Prosecutor Diana Piekusis SC and Price have been given a week to make formal submissions.
If he is found to have been double sentenced, Price could have that four-year-and-nine-month sentence, or the additional three years tacked onto his non-parole period, reduced.
He is currently not eligible for parole until he's 72.
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