10yo girl tried to disarm man who stabbed her mother to death in Melbourne home, court hears

Sven Lindemann has faced a pre-sentence hearing after pleading guilty to murdering Monique Lezsak in Melbourne's south-east last year.

Transcript

00:00 Covering his face, Sven Lindemann is the embodiment of Australia's domestic violence scourge.

00:07 Today there was nothing the 52-year-old could do to hide his actions.

00:12 In a jealous rage, the bodybuilder with a history of abusing steroids used six kitchen knives to stab his ex-partner to death.

00:20 The horror unfolded in May last year at this home in Melbourne's south-east.

00:25 Mother of two Monique Lezac had just ended her five-year relationship with Lindemann and wanted to be with another man.

00:32 Lindemann snapped, punching and strangling Ms Lezac and stabbing her 17 times.

00:38 The court was told Ms Lezac's 10-year-old daughter bravely tried to disarm Lindemann.

00:43 The girl was injured in the chaos but managed to ring emergency services.

00:47 "Please help me. My mum is dead," she told police.

00:51 Just minutes after the killing, Lindemann transferred money to his family and tried to take his own life.

00:57 "She's ruined my life," he later said, blaming the victim.

01:01 "Someone hurt me very, very, very much and ripped my heart out of my body. I just can't have it."

01:07 Lindemann began sobbing loudly as details of his crime were read out in court.

01:12 But Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth wasn't having any of it,

01:15 accusing the 52-year-old of putting on an act and shedding crocodile tears.

01:21 Loved ones of Ms Lezac filled the Supreme Court today.

01:24 Best friend Jacqueline Schwartz described her as selfless, hilarious and beautiful.

01:29 The court was told Ms Lezac wanted to leave Lindemann because he was controlling and jealous.

01:34 His barrister says her client has good prospects of rehabilitation and is sorry for what he's done.

01:40 But the judge is unconvinced.

01:43 "I'm not persuaded that you're remotely remorseful," Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said.

01:48 Lindemann will be sentenced at a later date. He now faces the realistic prospect of dying in jail.

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