Celeste Manno murder: Family calls for stalker Luay Nader Sako to never be released

Celeste Manno’s first Instagram post with her boyfriend was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for her obsessed stalker, a court has been told.

An Instagram post showing off a young woman’s boyfriend was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for her stalker, a forensic psychiatrist has told a court.

Celeste Manno, 23, was killed in a jealous rage by Luay Nader Sako, 39, after he broke into her family home in the early hours of the morning on November 16, 2020.

The pair had previously worked together at a Serco call centre, with Sako beginning to stalk and harass the young woman about 18 months earlier after he was fired.

On Tuesday, Sako faced a pre-sentence hearing in the Victorian Supreme Court after pleading guilty to Ms Manno’s murder last year.

Luay Sako kept his head down as he was confronted by Celeste Manno’s loved ones. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Wearing all grey, Sako sat hunched in the dock and was flanked by three security guards as many of Ms Manno’s loved ones confronted him.

He showed no emotion as he was labelled a “disgusting demon”, a “weak coward”, “scum” and “pathetic”.

The court was told on the night of her death, Ms Manno posted a photo of her boyfriend, Christopher Risdale, for the first time.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Rajan Darjee told the court he believes this was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.

“I think the state he was in was a state of rage, desperation and wanting everything to just go away,” he said.

Dr Darjee, who was called to give evidence by Sako, said his judgment leading up to the murder had been “significantly impaired” by mental health conditions, including extreme personality disorder and major depressive disorder.

In the months prior, he said, Sako had developed “homicidal ideation” towards Ms Manno whom he was infatuated with and idealised.

Dr Darjee told the court Sako had claimed when being assessed by psychiatrists there was a being called “Isha” who had urged him to kill Ms Manno.

But three psychiatrists found he had been “faking” symptoms in an effort to be found mentally unfit to stand trial, while Dr Darjee believed he was “exaggerating” symptoms.
“For him the Isha issue was the bit of himself that hated her and wanted her dead,” he said.

Ms Manno with boyfriend Chris Ridsdale the weekend before she was murdered. Picture: Facebook

Mr Risdale was among the family and friends who shared the heartbreaking impact of her murder in court on Tuesday, saying he had been robbed of his future.

“My life has been changed completely as a result of Celeste’s death. Celeste was such an incredible person,” he said.

“Its now three years from her death and I still feel the loss, but also the future that has been taken away.

“You try to go on, knowing it’s what she would want, but every experience is one that should have been shared.”

In an emotional statement to the court, her aunt and godmother, Grace Del Bonifro, called on Justice Jane Dixon to ensure Sako was never released from custody.

“When you began stalking Celeste, she showed me your work photo. In that moment I felt fear,” she said.

“I warned her, ‘Baby girl, please be careful with this one, it has evil eyes’. I worried about her safety but Celeste with such a pure heart couldn’t fathom the existence of such evil.

“My heart cries out for justice, every fibre of my being springs for retribution.”

Ms Manno’s aunt Grace Del Bonifro (left) and mother Aggie Di Mauro (centre). Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

As dozens of Ms Manno’s family and friends packed the courtroom, Ms Del Bonifro questioned where Sako’s loved ones were.

“They’re embarrassed, aren’t they?” she said.

“You have stained this earth with your malevolence, your evil deeds will not go unpunished.

“You repulse me, burn in hell.”

The court was told Sako and Ms Manno had little contact at work, with their only interaction being Ms Manno offering “well wishes” on his last day at Serco.

In the months leading up to her murder, Sako was obsessively messaging Ms Manno despite her rejecting his advances.

“It’s bordering on OCD. I’m totally infatuated with you, captivated and fascinated by you. “You’re all I think about,” he wrote in a message.

“As much as I appreciate this, I only feel in a professional way towards you and I wish you all of the best in your new job and journey,” she responded.

Ms Manno was stabbed to death in a two and a half minute attack shortly before 4am. Picture: Supplied.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Manno’s friend, Sarah Pervaiz, told the court that Ms Manno’s legacy was one of beauty and light.

“Celeste was a person who had such a lust for life, who literally lit up a room,” she said.

“I now have to live my life for Celeste as her life was taken brutally from her.

“No sentence will ever be enough, but I would hate to see Celeste be let down again.”

Sako, who dumped his second set of lawyers earlier this month, has chosen to represent himself and is disputing whether he stabbed Ms Manno 23 times.

“I know and believe I only inflicted two, and the 21 other wounds were a result of glass-inflicted injuries,” he said at a hearing last week.

The hearing continues.

Originally published as Celeste Manno murder: Family calls for stalker Luay Nader Sako to never be released