The sister of murder victim Michaela Dunn have delivered an emotional statement outside court after her killer Mert Ney was sentenced.
Ney, 23, murdered Michaela inside her Sydney CBD apartment in August 2019.
Following the sentencing, Emily, Michaela’s sister, said she was not angry but frustrated at the system.
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“Regardless of the sentence that was handed down today, nothing’s going to bring Mikki back,” an emotional Emily said.
“We trust that the judicial system understands the severity of what’s happened but there’s always going to be a permanently empty spot at our family dinner table.
“My little one’s going to grow up not knowing how funny and kind her aunty was other than through the stories that we share.
“I’m not angry because there’s no point in being angry but I’m really, really frustrated.
“I’m frustrated with the system.
“There were so many times that could’ve and should’ve stopped what happened on the day that Mikki died.
“And there would’ve been so many opportunities to have stopped the crimes, the murders of the 62 other women that died at the hands of men in the year Mikki died.”
‘Move forward’
Emily added the family are now trying to move forward with their lives.
“But today we’re trying really hard to leave some of that frustration behind and attempt to craft our future in a way that honours Mikki,” she said.
“We’ll always make space in our lives for an Aperol spritz and some cat photos.
“We’ll always make time for rich experiences shared with the ones that we love and we’ll always prioritise love and laughter in our families.
“It’s time now for us to try and move forward.”
Emily also thanked everyone who supported the family since Michaela’s death.
Michaela’s friend Ashleigh Elise also paid tribute to her in an Instagram post following the sentencing.
“ I’m sorry the system failed you,” Ashleigh wrote.
“Will love you now and forever.”
‘Cruel, brutal, terrifying attack’
Acting Superintendent of the Homicide Squad Detective Joe Doueihi thanked the people who helped apprehend Ney on the day of the incident.
“Their actions were truly heroic, brave and courageous,” he said outside court.
“They showed a true sign of community spirit.”
Ney had pleaded guilty to Michaela’s murder and the wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for stabbing Lin Bo on a nearby street.
“This was a cruel, brutal and terrifying attack made for no reason,” the judge said on Friday, in reference to Dunn’s murder.
He said Dunn was “alone and vulnerable in an apartment with a stranger”, and said he was “satisfied” that Ney had arranged to meet her “for the purposes of killing her”.
Following the murder, Ney was chased down the street by a group of men, one of whom used a chair to knock the assailant to the ground and pin him before a second placed a milk crate over his head.
The 23-year-old was given a sentence of 44 years, with a non-parole period of 33 years.
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