Celeste Manno’s confessed killer, Luay Sako seeks to dump lawyer and change his plea

The man who confessed to murdering 23-year-old Celeste Manno in her Mernda home wants to dump his lawyer and claims he was “under pressure” when he pleaded guilty.

The man who admitted to murdering Celeste Manno has made an extraordinary backflip, telling a judge he wants to change his plea and act as his own lawyer.

Confessed killer Luay Sako told the Supreme Court on Friday he wanted to dump his experienced criminal defence solicitor and revoke his guilty plea.

“The last hearing where I plead guilty, that decision was made on the day of the hearing and I felt I was under pressure and still haven’t had my answers met,” Sako told Justice Jane Dixon.

Sako, who warned the court he had “a problem with public speaking” so his submissions might not be right, said he’d been transferred from the Melbourne Assessment Prison where he had attempted suicide before he entered his plea.

Luay Sako pleaded guilty to murdering Celeste Manno in her home in Mernda.

Celeste Manno was killed in her Mernda home.

“I wasn’t in the right state, Your Honour, to make the decision,” he said.

“The matter was delayed because I couldn’t get answers, I was misled, Your Honour.”

Justice Dixon commented that the case was causing pressure and strain for Ms Manno’s loved ones.

Her Honour warned Sako that, “It’s not as simple as saying, ‘I want to change my plea’.”

Celeste Manno’s mother Aggie Di Mauro said “this was no surprise at all”.

“He’s been playing the system for 2.5 years because of all of the loopholes available to him,” she said.

“However I was pleased to see that Justice Jane Dixon seems to be a no-nonsense judge.”

His request came after the Supreme Court on Friday heard that Sako was seeking to represent himself at his pre-sentence hearing after he’d reached a stalemate with his lawyer, Sam Norton.

Justice Dixon told Sako that “sentencing is a complicated exercise” and urged him to agree to be represented by a lawyer, stating that “Mr Norton has been involved in the criminal justice system for many years”.

Sako said, “At this stage I would like to represent myself. I am going to seek legal advice ... if I’m able to speak to another lawyer.”

Sako became obsessed with Celeste Manno when they worked together at a call centre. Picture: Facebook

Justice Dixon ordered Sako to return to court in a week to see whether he wanted to pursue with his change of plea.

It comes after he entered a guilty plea to the murder of Ms Manno in April.

The Roxburgh Park man had become obsessed with his kind-hearted colleague when they worked together at Serco call centre in Mill Park.

He began stalking the 23-year-old after she showed him sympathy when he was sacked from his job.

Despite seeking an intervention order, Sako bombarded her with messages.

Ms Manno was killed in her Mernda home as she slept on November 16, 2020, after Sako broke into her bedroom.

He will return to the Supreme Court on June 30.