Murderer Sean Price celebrates sentence cut by flashing middle finger
Killer Sean Price could be released from prison earlier after having his non-parole period cut on appeal. The murderer and rapist reacted to his victory in court by making crude hand gestures.
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Evil killer Sean Price could be released sooner after having his non-parole period cut on appeal.
Price, 34, was serving a total minimum term of 41 years in jail for the March 2015 murder of 17-year-old Masa Vukotic in a Doncaster park, and the rape of a woman in a Christian bookshop in Sunshine two days later.
He had been sentenced to a minimum 38 years’ jail for those crimes, and an additional three years for breaching a supervision order when he committed the rape.
In January, the Court of Appeal dismissed his attempt to reduce the 38-year sentence but agreed to consider whether the three-year minimum for the breach should be reduced.
Court of Appeal Justices Simon Whelan, Stephen McLeish and Terry Forrest today ruled County Court judge Meryl Sexton had double punished Price for the rape when sentencing him to four years and 11 months, one month shy of the five-year maximum, for the breach.
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They re-sentenced him to three years jail and set a new total non-parole period — including what he is serving for Masa’s murder — of 40 years.
It means he could be released one year earlier than originally sentenced.
In its judgment, the Court of Appeal justices found the sentence imposed for the breach offence took into account aspects of the rape offence for which Price had already been sentenced.
“We are driven to the conclusion that the sentence she imposed did contain an impermissible element of double punishment,” they said.
“Notwithstanding the egregious nature of the appellant’s crimes, the sentence for the breach offence ought to reflect only the separate and distinct criminality constituted by the disobedience of a court order.”
Commenting on the reduction of sentence, the judges said: “We appreciate that this outcome makes little practical difference to the overall sentence, but the re-enforcement of sentencing principles, especially those concerning double punishment, is important.”
The appeal judges accepted Price’s submissions that weight in mitigation must be given for his guilty plea, his restrictive conditions in custody, his mental health
issues, and his disadvantaged background.
Price, who appeared via videolink from prison, reacted to his small win by making rude hand gestures, raising his middle finger towards the camera.
Outside court, his victim said she was relieved the appeal process was over.
“Based on the non-parole period, I would like to think that he’s never going to be paroled,” she said.
“In the overall picture, the community is safe from him.”
But she criticised authorities who had allowed the serial offender to roam the streets and kill in the first place.
“Masa shouldn’t be dead. I shouldn’t have been in a situation where he tried to kill me,” she said.
“There are other people responsible and accountable for what happened.
“The government know who they are and I hope they are doing everything they can to adjust that.”
She said sentencing laws need to be changed to stop known criminals reoffending.
“We can't stop first offenders, but should be able to stop known offenders reoffending,” she said.
“We don't feel safe on the streets when known offenders keep getting released.”
It comes after the remorseless killer’s bid to appeal Masa’s brutal murder was thrown out in January.
Price, representing himself, then told the Court of Appeal that he had not received a fair trial.
In his submissions, he chillingly admitted killing Masa, but said he was mentally ill at the time.
“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.”
But Justices Whelan, McLeish and Forrest said Justice Lex Lasry had made no error in sentencing and dismissed his appeal.
Justice Lasry sentenced Price to life with parole after 38 years.
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