Daniela D'Addario's murderer no Ivan Milat, lawyer tells ACT court.

The lawyer for a man who murdered Canberra woman Daniela D’Addario has argued against a life sentence, saying his client is “no Marcus Rappel or Ivan Milat”.

Josaia Vosikata, 29, has admitted to murdering Ms D’Addario in her Belconnen apartment last year, before driving her body, in her own car, to Bermagui on the New South Wales south coast.

Events took a dramatic turn when Vosikata fled into the bush after being stopped by police.

It was 20 hours before he was finally arrested.

Today in the ACT Supreme Court, ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Jon White told the court the crime attracted a life sentence.

“A very vibrant… young woman has been taken in the prime of her life and that has left her family devastated,” Mr White said.

“This was a premeditated conduct of violent revenge which resulted in murder.”

Mr White said the killing of Ms D’Addario and the violation of her body afterward was significant.

“The fact he filmed it was redolent of the taking of a trophy,” Mr White said.

‘Obsession’ led to murder

He said Justice John Burns should view what happened after Ms D’Addario’s death as part of Vosikata’s premeditated plan.

“The obsession that he held in relation to the victim led him to kill her,” Mr White said.

But Vosikata’s lawyer, Paul Edmonds, said his client did not deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison.

He acknowledged it was a heinous crime but said: “This is not a worst case of murder”.

“He’s no Marcus Rappel [the killer of another Canberra woman Tara Costigan] or Ivan Milat.”

Mr Edmonds said there was no suggestion Vosikata was an ongoing threat to the community and there were still prospects of rehabilitation.

He said given Vosikata was not yet 30 years old, he could face up to 40 years in jail.

“It was quite a pathetic scenario. He did not accept the relationship was over and he held some delusional hope that it would be rekindled,” he said.

“He frankly admitted his intention at the precise moment of the offence.

“It’s also conceded… that there was clearly some contemplation and ruminating about how to kill the victim.”

‘Wicked and criminal act’

In court Ms D’Addario’s family gave an emotional account of the impact her murder had on their lives.

Ms D’Addario’s aunt described her killing as “a wicked and criminal act which will stay with her family forever”.

One of her sisters became tearful as she talked about her life since.

“No sentence you hand out will bring my sister back,” she said.

“I will never be able to forgive Mr Vosikata for what he did.”

She told the court she was wracked with guilt for not protecting her sister.

Justice Burns told her: “You should not harbor any guilt over this. There is only one person who is responsible for this, and that is not you.”

Justice Burns said Vosikata would be sentenced before the end of the year.

This post originally appeared on ABC News. 

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