Failed butcher jailed for brutally stabbing woman on footpath
A failed butcher who used a hunting knife to repeatedly stab a Melbourne woman in the face on a footpath will spent almost 30 years in jail for her murder three years ago.
Rani Featherston, 34, was stabbed 21 times in the attack on a street in Doveton in April 2014, but the crime went unsolved for two years, until Melbourne butcher Christian Bain-Singh finally confessed.
The 34-year old at one stage managed to escape her attacker but was chased down and murdered.
Her family are still coming to terms with the attack.
"We love Rani very much and she will be missed forever and we've lost a big part of our lives," her brother Aaron Featherston said.
The Judge said Bain-Singh had done extreme harm.
"Regrettably, no sentence that I can pass will undo the harm that you have done," Judge Christopher Beale said.
"You posted a callous message on Facebook whilst still at the crime scene," he said.
His social media message quoted lyrics from American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog".
The pair were familiar to each other but it was a chance meeting on the night of the murder when Ms Featherston suffered 21 stab wounds.
The court heard Bain-Singh had confronted Ms Featherston about an argument they'd had weeks earlier.
The violent killing came 11 days after Bain-Singh's unrelated stabbing attack on sleeping man Daniel Maynard.
Mr Maynard was in his bed during a home invasion 11 days before Ms Featherston's death.
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The knife-wielding assailant entered Mr Maynard's Doveton home looking for money.
"Mr Maynard woke and tried to defend himself with his bare hands as you continued stabbing him," Justice Beale said.
The victim lost part of his hand, and has post traumatic stress disorder, but he still expressed compassion for his attacker.
"I actually feel a bit of empathy for him, he's going to go through a hard time himself," Mr Maynard said.
Bain-Singh's offences were shocking, but he was remorseful and had good rehabilitation prospects, the judge said.
Outside court, Mr Maynard, who was left with ongoing physical and mental injuries, told journalists he doubted Bain-Singh was truly sorry.
"Remorse is a big word ... some people say it but don't know what it means," the victim said.
For bother crimes, Bain-Singh will serve 29 years in jail, with a non parole period of 22.
"I would have been happy if it would have been life with no release, we've got a life sentence, we've lost Rani," Ms Featherston's father, Kevin Featherston said.
The court heard Bain-Singh found God after his crimes and was regularly attending church when he was arrested by police.
But still he initially denied killing Ms Featherston and admitted his guilt only after a detective said if he was serious about Christianity, he would confess his sins.
However, Ms Featherston's family doubt his remorse and his religion.
"That's jsut something to make him feel a little bit better about what he has done but that doesn't make us feel any better," Aaron Featherston said.
Her other brother Matt Featherston said Ms Featherston was "lovely" and a "great sister".
"It's just unfair that this has happened to her."
Bain-Singh previously worked as a butcher before losing his job amid allegations he stole from his employer.
