A bodybuilder who brutally murdered his partner in front of her young daughter has appealed to have his sentence reduced, sparking outrage from her friends and loved ones.
Sven Lindemann was recently sentenced to 31 years in prison, 25 of which are eligible for parole, for the six-knife stabbing of his partner Monique Lezsak, 39, after she tried to end their relationship.
Lindemann brutally stabbed his ex-partner 17 times in the head, neck and chest at their Endeavour Hills home in Melbourne’s south-east in May last year.
He later pleaded guilty to murdering his partner and recklessly injuring her 10-year-old daughter. Her mother was found covered in blood after intervening in the horrific attack.
Two months after his conviction, Lindemann’s appeal was formally filed with the Supreme Court. The case is expected to be heard next year.
This means the horrific case will be heard by a full panel of judges at the Court of Appeal.
Mrs. Lezsak’s best friend, Jacqueline Schwarcz, admitted Nine news that she ‘laughed’ when she first heard the news, because she thought it was a joke,
She also recalled the devastating impact it had on the lives of those who knew and loved Mrs. Lezsak.
Sven Lindemann has pleaded guilty to the murder of his partner Monique Lezsak (photo)
“Without wanting to be too dramatic, I can say that it has destroyed our lives. Everything has changed overnight,” Schwarcz said.
‘I can’t imagine how a human being can be like that.’
Ms Schwarcz had a sharp message for Lindemann, who has already spent a year behind bars.
“We know you have no remorse, we know you have no regrets, and that’s okay, we’ll see how it turns out for you,” she said.
‘Because he is narcissistic, it wouldn’t surprise me that these (his attractions) are just moves to keep him in the spotlight.
Although Lindemann avoided the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, Judge Elizabeth Hollingworth said Lindemann had committed a “brutal, frenzied attack”, adding that domestic violence was “not a less serious category of murder because of the pre-existing relationship”.
She said it was “pure luck” that her daughter was not seriously injured, adding that Lindemann had failed in his duty as a stepfather to protect the little girl and her twin brother from harm by subjecting them to a terrifying ordeal.
Judge Hollingworth said Lindemann had committed a “rational act” motivated by jealousy and “an unwillingness to allow her partner to move on with her life”.
In May, Sven Lindemann (pictured) was sentenced to 31 years in prison, with an unconditional release period of 25 years, for the savage stabbing with six knives of his partner Monique Lezsak, 39. He is appealing the sentence
She noted his “hypocrisy and sense of entitlement,” which made him “furious” at the thought that Ms Lezsak “might choose to leave you and enter into a relationship with someone she had recently met.”
This is despite the fact that he previously cheated on his ex-wife.
However, Judge Hollingworth admitted there was “no evidence” his attack was premeditated, and accepted it was a relatively spontaneous act.
Judge Hollingworth also recognised the “courageous” act of Mrs Lezsak’s young daughter and praised her efforts to save her mother.
“Hopefully as she grows older she will realise that there was nothing more she could have done to save her mother, who would have been so proud of his courage and determination,” she said.
Before the case was adjourned for sentencing, Judge Hollingworth said Lindemann had committed the “appalling” act after a day of “furious rage”.
“He was so angry he dragged her through the house, he grabbed six different knives and broke two of them,” she said.
“He was undeterred by a 10-year-old girl who tried to stop him… He was out of control, frantic and determined to kill her.”
Sven Lindemann’s appeal for a reduced sentence will be heard next year
Monique Lezsak’s best friend Jacqueline Schwarcz admitted she “laughed” when she first heard the news of Lindemann’s appeal, thinking it was a joke
Judge Hollingworth also reprimanded the bodybuilder for crying in court and ordered him to ‘stop the crocodile tears’.
“It’s not really convincing. It’s a little late for him to pretend to be remorseful,” she said.
“The evidence is completely to the contrary. He continues to maintain that she destroyed his life, he does not accept that he killed her and destroyed his own life.”
Taking into account the time he has already served, Lindemann will be eligible for parole in 2048.
