Gargasoulas faces at least 46 years in prison for Bourke St massacre
Bourke Street killer James Gargasoulas has been sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 46 years.
In the Supreme Court on Friday, Judge Mark Weinberg said: "This was one of the worst examples of mass murder in Australian history."
More than 100 people packed into the Supreme Court for the sentencing as Justice Weinberg handed Gargasoulas six life sentences for murder.
"The horror of what you did has profoundly impacted the lives of those who were present that day," Justice Weinberg said, noting in detail the events of the "terrifying rampage" which included death, broken bones, head injuries and other serious damage.
In one of Melbourne's darkest days, Gargasoulas used a stolen Holden Commodore drove at speed through Bourke Street Mall at lunchtime on January 20, 2017, killing six people.
Those killed were Yosuke Kanno, 25, Bhavita Patel, 33, Jessica Mudie, 22, Matthew Si, 33, three-month-old Zachary Matthew-Bryant, who was thrown 60 metres from his pram, and 10-year-old Thalia Hakin, whose mother and sister were injured.
Gargasoulas injured dozens of others, knocking them to the ground and into walls while driving in a drug-induced psychosis.
Family of the victims filled Melbourne's Supreme Court on Friday where Gargasoulas was being sentenced for his crimes.
Grieving relatives recently told the court of their pain, with the brother of Japanese victim Yosuke Kanno saying he will "continue suffering from this until I die".
Zachary's father, Matthew Bryant, spoke of the first experiences he would have shared with his son and his struggle to ensure memories of the precious moments they had together never fade.
"I listened to his heart beat and held him for the last time ... not wanting to let him go," he told the court.
"The three months and 14 days I had with Zach were beautiful.
"There is a loneliness to this loss."
Gargasoulas has claimed he is not evil and was himself a victim of "government oppression" before he drove along Bourke Street.
In a previous court hearing, he stood in the witness box where for 20 minutes he read a letter in which he apologised "from my heart for taking the lives of your loved ones".
But he went on to blame the government for his actions.
"I am not evil. I am not a terrorist. I am a freedom fighter who is now educated to stop oppression," he said.
Witnesses of the carnage have detailed the ongoing struggles they all face, with the sounds of helicopters, large crowds and busy traffic still haunting many.
Last month, Crown prosecutors told the court Gargasoulas, who has been diagnosed with treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia, should never be released from jail.
They revealed his lengthy criminal history between 2009 and 2014, when Gargasoulas faced nearly two dozen violence-related charges including assaulting police, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault, driving offences and aggravated burglary.
On at least two occasions he had escaped from police.
His rampage along Bourke Street showed "unspeakable disregard" for the sanctity of human life, the prosecution has previously said.
"In his attempt to evade and disrupt his imminent capture and arrest, the prisoner drove through the most populous part of the Melbourne CBD on the pavement and through the Bourke Street Mall at a time when it was likely to be very crowded with children, tourists, shoppers and office workers," Crown prosecutors said.
"Like the unspeakable crimes committed by Martin Bryant at Port Arthur, Bourke Street, Melbourne, will never be the same again."