Celeste Manno: Family demands mandatory life sentences for murder
Dozens of protesters have gathered at parliament to support demands for mandatory life sentences for murderers spearheaded by outraged loved ones of murdered woman Celeste Manno.
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Dozens of protesters have gathered at parliament to support demands for mandatory life sentences for murderers spearheaded by outraged loved ones of murdered woman Celeste Manno.
Ms Manno’s family are calling for all murderers in Victoria to be handed mandatory life sentences after her killer Luay Sako avoided life in jail.
Sako, 37, stabbed Ms Manno, 23, to death on November 16 2020 after breaking into her Mernda home.
Ms Manno suffered 23 separate injuries during the attack.
The community march began on the steps of parliament, where Ms Manno’s mother Aggie Di Mauro could be seen embracing tearful supporters.
A procession of 23 Harley Davidson motorcycles lined Spring St outside Parliament House to represent each year of Ms Manno’s life.
The group then travelled to the Supreme Court about 1.40pm down Bourke St.
Marchers stopped traffic as they chanted: “Celeste deserved justice”.
They stopped outside the court, where the profession of motorcycles revved their engines before marching back towards Parliament.
Celeste’s father Tony Manno told Ms Di Mauro: “I should have been walking my daughter down the aisle, not Bourke St”.
Earlier, in an emotional address to the crowd, Ms Di Mauro said she was initially coming to terms with her daughter setting off on a trip to the Gold Coast with some friends, but has since had to adjust to the idea of life without her.
Ms Di Mauro said Ms Manno has her “entire life ahead of her”.
“My beautiful sweetie, 23 years old, god she had plans,” Ms Di Mauro said.
“She was so excited because we were just coming out of lockdown.”
Tearing up as she recalled the pair’s final night at home together, Di Mauro said they told each other they loved one another before Sako’s attack unfolded.
“I ran (to her bedroom), and she was gone,” she said.
“My sweetie, this was her downfall, too kind.
“The amount of times she said don’t contact her, she always said please.
“We don’t sentence murders to life in this state and I’m most of the states in this country because of the brutality of the crime or the premeditation.
“The only time a murderer gets life in this state is if and only if their prospects of rehabilitation are so poor then if they are released, they might do it again.”
Ms Di Mauro described Victoria’s current laws as “pathetic”, saying authorities had failed her daughter.
“You (authorities) didn’t protect her. The state did fail her. I failed her too but I will get justice for her … I don’t know how but I will,” she said.
“I snapped so I made her a promise that I will get her justice one way or another.
“As terrible as the crime was and that he committed it with chilling efficiency, she (Her Honour) did not believe a life sentence was warranted.
“I don’t get it, I don’t get it sweetie (why no life sentences).
“It just drives me crazy … they don’t choose to be victims, damn it. Victims are chosen.
“We didn’t get life but we need life. My daughter deserves justice.”
One of Ms Di Mauro’s closest friends Gabriella Leonardi, who had known Ms Manno since she was five years old, said Ms Manno should never have lost her life.
“Our daughters went to school together and they were inseparable,” she said, speaking through tears.
“Celeste didn’t get justice, the justice she deserved.
“Our laws are too soft. He’s (Sako) is still out there and he’s still going to have some life left when she gets out. Celeste is in the ground, she’s not going to have that anymore.
“It’s time to show politicians and the government, everyone, that something needs to change.”
The protest will end at the Supreme Court, where Sako was in February handed at least 30 years behind bars.
Sako had stalked Ms Manno for months, flooding her social media accounts with more than 150 messages declaring his love for her, despite an intervention order she had taken out against him.
He became obsessed with Ms Manno when they worked together at a Serco call centre in Mill Park and started stalking her after he was fired.
A petition lobbying for mandatory life sentences for murderers in the wake of Ms Manno’s death has garnered more than 7800 signatures.
Kim Davis, who’s daughter Belinda Romeo was murdered in 1994, said she attended the march because she believed sentencing for murderers in Victoria was too light.
“We’re here for Celeste and I’m here for my daughter,” she said.
“I am here for Aggie (Celeste’s mother). I know what this is like. I can’t even call him by his name (Belinda’s killer) I can only call him a “thing”.”
Ms Romeo was murdered by her ex partner Lemaluofuifatu Alipapa Tofilau, who became upset after she ended their short time together.
He strangled her with a scarf inside her Punt Rd apartment.
Sako was sentenced to a maximum of 36 years behind bars and will be eligible for parole at age 65.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has until Thursday to appeal Sako’s sentence.
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