Family of the slain beauty therapist were yesterday shocked to learn Williams had lodged documents indicating he plans to appeal against his minimum 16-year jail term.

Ms Wilkinson’s father, David Wilkinson, described the news as “a kick in the guts”.

Williams killed Ms Wilkinson, 20, on September 18, 2009, by hitting her in the head several times with a shovel.

Asphyxiation also contributed to her death.

Justice Monika Schmidt imposed a sentence of 21 years and nine months in the Supreme Court at Albury on June 17, but said Williams could be eligible for release on parole on January 15, 2026, after serving 16 years, three months and 23 days.

Williams, 23, lodged a notice of intention to appeal the sentence on the day it was handed down.

That paperwork was recently received by the Director of Public Prosecutions office at Wagga.

However, Mr Wilkinson only learnt of the appeal bid yesterday.

“I’m shocked — I thought it was over,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“I was sort of glad he got as much as he got and now you just hope they don’t take any years off.

“We thought it was all over and done with and now we’ve got to go back over everything.

“It’s a bit of a kick in the guts … I didn’t see it coming, that’s for sure.

“We’ve been doing our best to move on with life but suddenly it all starts again.”

A DPP spokeswoman said Williams had six months to proceed with his appeal.

Williams joined the Volunteer Rescue Association in the search for Ms Wilkinson after she was reported missing but confessed to the murder after police seized his vehicle.

He took police to Dairy Lagoon near Corowa and Ms Wilkinson’s naked body was found there, lying face down in a grave about 60 centi­metres deep.

Williams gave two explanations of why he murdered Ms Wilkinson.

First he claimed he had started to choke her as a joke and was unable to stop.

Later he told a forensic psychiatrist he had gone into “a blind rage” when Ms Wilkinson said it was good his partner had miscarried a baby a week earlier.

Williams gave varying accounts of how much alcohol and cannabis he had used that night.

“The offender told police she was already dead when he struck her,” Justice Schmidt said.

“That belief appears to have been wrong, but the evidence certainly suggests she was, by then, unconscious.

“She was patently defenceless,” Justice Schmidt said.

“His confession and subsequent co-operation with police reflected remorse over what he had done, while initially absent, came to grow,” she said.

“It is apparent from his confession and actions in assisting police that whatever his level of intoxication, he had a memory of what he had done to her.”