‘I wasn’t given a fair trial’, claims evil killer Sean Price as bid to appeal
Brutal killer Sean Price said he only pleaded guilty to rape because he was being bashed in prison before giving a double bird to the court after his appeal over the life sentence for the murder of schoolgirl Masa Vukotic, 17, was thrown out.
VIC News
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Evil killer Sean Price has given a double bird to the court after his appeal over the brutal murder of Masa Vukotic was thrown out.
Price, 34, who is serving a life sentence for the March 2015 murder of the 17-year-old schoolgirl, had today applied to the Court of Appeal for an extension of time to appeal.
Representing himself via videolink, Price chillingly admitted killing Masa, but said he was mentally ill at the time.
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“I’m not playing bambi … I admit that I’m guilty,” Price said. “Not of the rape. But of the murder of Masa Vukotic.
“When the public anger calms down, they’ll see I wasn’t given a fair trial.”
The remorseless brute said sentencing judge, Justice Lex Lasry, did not take into consideration his medical history for mental illness.
“There’s no way I’m not crazy,” he said, adding how at the time he thought he was a soldier and there was a revolution.
Explaining why it has taken him almost three years to appeal, when the cut off is usually 28 days after original sentence, Price said he had been repeatedly let down by lawyers who were colluding with the prosecution and “sabotaging” his case.
“They say they are going to come in and represent me and they don’t even turn up,” he said.
But Court of Appeal Justices Simon Whelan, Stephen McLeish and Terry Forrest dismissed his application, saying Justice Lasry had made no error in sentencing.
“We’ve read the psychiatric reports Justice Lasry relied on. We can’t see any error in what he did,” Justice Whelan said.
Justice Whelan said there was “no reason the court would impose a less severe sentence” than Justice Lasry’s life sentence with parole after 38 years.
But they gave Price a glimmer of hope in his second application to appeal the November 2017 sentence in the County Court for breaching a supervision order by raping a woman in a bookstore days after killing Masa.
Judge Meryl Sexton jailed him for four years and 11 months, one month shy of the five year maximum.
Justice Whelan raised concerns around “double punishment” and asked the prosecution to file written submissions regarding that within seven days.
They reserved their decision.
The Vukotic family did not attend today’s hearing.
But his rape victim bravely sat in the front row, her hands shaking, as she heard her attacker say he was not guilty of the sexual assault.
Price said he only pleaded guilty because he was being bashed in prison.
“I was getting battered with batons,” he told the court, adding he would not be treated by medical staff until days later.
“I was also getting bashed, which is why I pleaded guilty.
“I was coming in (to court) with black eyes and everything and (Justice Lasry) didn’t even question this.
“I deny the rape. But I don’t deny that I did this murder.”
He accused Justice Lasry of using him as a “catalyst” but said there were far more serious violent offenders than him.
“My history is not actually shocking,” he said, before referring to his “one offence” — a terrifying sexual assault — when he was aged 19.
Price told the court he wanted to appeal his conviction, but the presiding judges told him his application before the court was relating to his sentence, not conviction.
“I understand what I did was bad, but I was mentally ill,” Price said.
“Aren’t you concerned about how it’s all unfolded?” he asked the three Court of Appeal judges, before claiming there had been a miscarriage of justice.
Crown prosecutor Diana Piekusis argued Price had ample time to engage legal representation.
Ms Piekusis also dismissed suggestions Judge Sexton had punished Price twice for the rape offence when sentencing him for the breach of his supervision order.
“Judge Sexton was well aware of double punishment,” she said.
She said Judge Sexton gave Price such a high sentence because the circumstances of his offending were “so grave” and similar to the offending which saw him placed on the order in the first place.