An Australian man who stalked and murdered a former colleague has been sentenced to 36 years in prison.
Ruai Sako broke into Celeste Manno’s Melbourne home in 2020 and stabbed her to death after months of stalking.
Her prosecutors say a man broke into her home hours after she posted photos of her with her new boyfriend online and stabbed her 23 times over the course of two and a half minutes. Announced.
Manno’s family believes Sako should have been given a life sentence. Her mother condemned the sentence as “outrageous”.
Aggie Di Mauro told the court immediately after the verdict, “It is completely unbelievable that the court decided to grant him clemency, even though they showed no mercy to Celeste.”
Ms DiMauro said she hoped the Court of Appeal would recognize that “true justice in this case requires a life sentence.”
Dozens of Ms Manno’s family and friends filled the gallery for Thursday’s sentencing in Melbourne Supreme Court.
Australian media reported that a glowing blue urn containing her ashes was placed in front of her family as they watched the trial, which lasted about 45 minutes.
“Celeste deserved to live, but you changed your mind,” Judge Jane Dixon said, Australian public broadcaster ABC reported.” They carried out the attack with frightening efficiency.”
But tears were shed when the judge announced he would not impose a life sentence, the harshest sentence under Victorian law.
Celeste Manno, 23, was a team leader at the call centre where Sako, now 39, also worked.
Her stalking started in 2019 when he got fired and started texting her.
Manno begged him to stop, but Sako’s messages became increasingly desperate and obsessive.
She reported him to the police and was able to obtain a restraining order, but he remained undaunted and was later charged with breaching the order.
The court heard that Ms Sako compared social media posts to Google Maps to find out the location of Mr Manno’s parents’ home.
On November 16, 2020, hours after she posted a photo of her new boyfriend online, he drove to her address and smashed her bedroom window with a hammer.
He brutally stabbed Ms Manno as she slept and fled about two and a half minutes later.
Her body was discovered by her mother shortly thereafter.
Ms Sako then drove to the police station and blamed the police for her murder. He asked them to shoot him.