The 30-year-old appeared in Wangaratta Supreme Court on Thursday, where he had pleaded guilty to the murder and indecent assault of the girl on October 25 last year.

The prosecution opening outlined the horror of events that night, which started with Maddigan at a gathering of drinking and smoking cannabis with Zoe’s mother Janelle Saunders at their Inchbold Street home.

Director of Public Prosecutions John Champion said it was after 4am when Maddigan awoke in the laundry, crept into the girl’s room and told her to come down from her bunk bed.

“He stated ‘I wanted to have her all to myself’, he described her as looking ‘like an angel’,” he said.

“The murder was committed by Maddigan in the context of having entered Zoe’s bedroom for the purposes of his own sexual gratification.”

After sexually assaulting her, he put his chunky gold ring in her mouth and strangled her.

He then placed her back in her bed and returned to the party.

DNA evidence proved the killer had inappropriately touched the little girl.

Maddigan was later found walking barefoot along the Hume Freeway at 6am, nine kilometres from the Inchbold street home, where he was stopped by police and recorded a blood-alcohol content of .085.

He later told police his actions were like a movie he could not pause, stop or rewind.

“I had to sit through a horror movie,” Maddigan said.

“I still honestly don’t think I’m capable of that, but I can’t argue with the evidence around me.”

It was 11am before Ms Saunders discovered what happened to her daughter.

She found the little girl face down in bed, naked from the waist down with her eyes closed.

Paramedics were called to the home, but could not revive the girl.

Justice Lex Lasry said Maddigan was likely to receive a substantial jail sentence.

“I'm at a loss to understand it,” he said.

“People are rightly upset about the consequences of this.”

THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT

The mother of Zoe Buttigieg has described the pain and anger she feels over the 11-year-old’s “pointless and traumatic” death.

​In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Saunders described Zoe as a loving girl who enjoyed sport, doing her hair and makeup and who had dreams to become a veterinarian or become famous singing on X Factor.

She said she spun out of control after discovering what happened to her daughter.

“I heard someone’s screams and wails and then I realised it was me – Zoe was dead,” Ms Saunders said.

“I have no comprehension how a person can have such violence and utter contempt for life.”

She said she had wanted to give Bowe Maddigan a chance when she heard about his criminal past.

“He looked normal, I have always tried to be a non-judgemental person,” she said.

“I was raised in Wangaratta and I always felt safe there growing up, so I thought it would be a safe place for Zoe … life as I know it has finished for me.”

Maddigan put his face in his hands as a series of tearful victim impact statements from the family outlined the emotional trauma his actions caused.

Numerous family members hit out at social media comments blaming Ms Saunders for playing a part in the death, saying the fault was completely with Maddigan.

Zoe’s sister Chloe Buttigieg, via video link from Melbourne, told Maddigan she forgave him, but would never forget, and cherished the new lives born into her family.

“I sleep with peace knowing you'll never be able to hurt her or any other kid again,” she said.

“Now she's gone, I hope she did know she meant the world to me.”

Zoe’s uncle Mat Carmody glared at Maddigan after expressing how scared the little girl must have been when her attacker entered her bedroom.

“Like a real-life boogeyman, you were all of her nightmares,” he said.

KILLER’S APOLOGY

Bowe Maddigan told Zoe’s Buttigieg’s family he felt intense guilt over his actions, in a handwritten letter read out to Wangaratta Supreme Court.

But her mother, Janelle Saunders, stormed out of the courtroom to avoid hearing any of the words.

“I’ve taken so much from so many people,” Maddigan said in the letter.

“I’ve taken a true light out of the world, which seems to be getting darker and darker.”

NO SUFFICIENT EXPLANATION

The mobile phone of Bowe Maddigan revealed child pornography images and similar content in his internet search history.

Defence barrister Tim Marsh said the indecent act and murder were caused by a tragic combination of attraction to children, intoxication and opportunity.

“There is no explanation which could be sufficient,” he said.

“He awoke in the laundry, didn't know where he was and went room to room … there is no evidence that Mr Maddigan went and searched out the victim.”

A psychologist found he was suffering from depression, personality disorder and paedophilia.

Mr Marsh said Maddigan grew up near Mildura, in a home full of alcohol and violence.

He has two children aged 10 and nine years old.

Maddigan was released from jail less than three weeks before he killed Zoe, after serving a sentence of more than three years for a fight outside a pub where he punched the victim 20 times to the head then kicked him on the ground.

Mr Marsh said had been released earlier, but sent back into custody when he breached his parole, and had no outside support when he completed his sentence.

“Mr Maddigan has the capacity for high levels of violence when intoxicated,” he said.

“(Zoe) was entitled to think that she was safe and her family was entitled to think that she was safe.”

A TOUGH DAY​

Zoe’s uncle Mat Carmody said the court case was an important step in making sure the little girl’s voice was heard.

Speaking outside court after the day’s proceedings, he said ”today was just a tough day to face” and the family did not accept Bowe Maddigan’s apology.

Mother Janelle Saunders was brought to tears on numerous occasions during the hearing.

“She’s not well, everyday is a challenge,” Mr Carmody said.

“Janelle misses her Zoe … my kids miss her everyday.”

He said his niece “died in the most horrific circumstances” and there was no other way to describe it.