Murderer Peter Forster-Jones, jailed for 40 years after murder of Eden Waugh, appeals sentence

Murderer Peter Forster-Jones, who pulled the trigger on an artist in a terrifying home invasion, wants his 40-year jail sentence slashed arguing he will be rotting behind bars longer than he deserves.

Eden Waugh was shot dead with a 12 gauge, sawn-off shotgun in front of his girlfriend at his Watson apartment on November 3, 2016.

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The “callous and cowardly murderer” who shot and killed Canberra artist Eden Waugh wants his more than 40-year jail sentence cut, arguing a series of errors will leave him rotting in jail longer than he deserves.

Peter Forster-Jones, 25, fronted the ACT Court of Appeal from jail by video link on Tuesday where his barrister, Ken Archer, argued a series of errors by sentencing judge Justice Michael Elkaim resulted in Forster-Jones in a “manifestly excessive” jail term.

Peter Forster-Jones wants his jail sentence of more than 40 years slashed.

Chief Justice Helen Murrell said the 10 per cent discount Forster-Jones was handed after pleading guilty to murder on the second day of his trial “does seem to be low”.

Forster-Jones confessed to an undercover police officer, boasting of his crimes in a way Justice Peter Berman yesterday compared to a job interview.

“Saying to the interviewer that you’re very good at your job might be seen as bravado,” he said.

Forster-Jones told the undercover cop: “It doesn’t eat me every night, you know what I mean?

‘Like, I sleep pretty well brother, do you know what I mean?”.

Forster-Jones later went on to say: “No one – no one really deserves to, like, for that to happen to ‘em in their own house.”

Elaine and David Waugh, parents of murdered Canberra man Eden Waugh, speak following the sentencing of Peter Forster-Jones.

A second man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded guilty to his role in Mr Waugh’s murder but is trying to have his guilty pleas vacated so he can contest the allegations.

After counting to three and firing the fatal shot through Mr Waugh’s front door, which he was trying to hold shut, Forster-Jones stepped over Mr Waugh’s body and took part in the ransacking of the flat.

The murder of Mr Waugh, an artist and small-time drug dealer, was the second time in months Forster-Jones and accomplices had been to the flat, armed, to exact underworld justice on their victim and the 40 year, 5 month and 23 day jail sentence Justice Elkaim handed him also covered the previous home invasion and machete attack on Mr Waugh.

Under his current sentence, Forster-Jones, who is considered a high risk of reoffending, will be eligible for parole in 2043.

The panel of three judges, Chief Justice Murrell, Justice Berman and Justice Crowe, will deliver their appeal decision at a later datE.