Masa Vukotic's killer presents judge with hand-written submission notes after sacking legal team
Masa Vukotic's killer has handed over a set of hand-written submission notes to his sentencing judge 'begging for mercy' after sacking his own legal team at his latest court hearing.
Rapist and murderer Sean Christian Price, 31, briefly appeared in court today for a pre-sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to killing the teenager in a Melbourne park near her Doncaster home on March 17 last year.
The court heard that Price is now deemed to be a 'serious offender' after being convicted of threatening to kill a prison guard in January and is likely to get a long sentence, ABC reports.
Prosecutors told the court Price should be sentenced to life imprisonment without the prospect of parole after stabbing Ms Vukotic 49 times.
Price put forward pages of submission notes to Justice Lex Lasry in court and apologised because they were hand-written and not photocopied.
The contents of the notes were not made public, reports ABC but are reported to have been a 'plea for mercy'.
Price, who is now representing himself, told Victoria's Supreme Court: "I dispute some of the submissions."
He was subject of supervision order and on bail when he murdered Ms Vukotic.
Price spotted the teen walking through the park and believed she was dressed like a "yuppie".
In December he told the Victorian Supreme Court: "I'm guilty of the crime and I wish only to apologise, I don't wish for any leniency to be shown."
Experts knew he was at risk of re-offending and at an earlier hearing it was revealed that Price planned to attack during Melbourne's Moomba Festival - a time with the city is brimming with families and tourists.
Price said he deserved to be punished but he argued the state had a duty of care to him while he was under supervision and they failed to provide the appropriate treatment.
"The people had been given the undertaking of managing me," Price told the court.
"I was deemed as not capable of having management of my life."
He said he didn't take medication, but he had always attended treatment programs.
"I have never knocked back treatment," he said.
Price told Judge Lasry at the December hearing: "I don't think that it's been proven that in a long time I can't be rehabilitated."
Judge Lasry reserved sentencing to a later date.
