Michael Cardamone, 50, has lodged an appeal against sentence with the Supreme Court.

Justice Lex Lasry’s verdict had been a landmark for Victoria because a murderer, who pleaded guilty and did not have prior convictions for murder, had never before been denied hope for eventual release.

The Supreme Court confirmed Cardamone appealed the sentence on the grounds that he believed the “judge erred in failing to fix a non-parole period and that the sentence was manifestly excessive by virtue of the fact that no non-parole period was fixed”. 

The appeal was lodged this week and no hearing date has yet been set. 

The Whorouly woman died in the early hours of January 13 last year after her neighbour Cardamone, 50, took her from her home and likely held her captive in his shed.

He doused her with petrol and burned her alive near Lake Buffalo, after he had injected her with an animal tranquilizer and fractured her skull.

In handing down the landmark sentence on August 25, Justice Lasry said he did not believe Cardamone felt any remorse for “a crime is so horrific, so cruel and so callous, that a step towards mercy becomes too difficult to take”.

“I had ceased to be amazed at the level of violence some men are capable of inflicting on defenceless women, but what you did to Karen Chetcuti – over a number of hours and for no apparent or logical reason – does indeed amaze me,” he said.

“There is nothing to indicate there has been any significant change in your attitudes to women or any insights into your offending.

“I regard your prospects of rehabilitation as virtually non-existent.”

More to come.