The man who filmed himself raping a seven-year-old girl at Sydney dance studio has lodged an intention to appeal his life prison sentence.

Key points: Sampieri was on parole in 2018 when he punched, bound, choked and raped a girl in Sydney

Sampieri was on parole in 2018 when he punched, bound, choked and raped a girl in Sydney His life sentence without parole is unprecedented in child rape cases in Australia

His life sentence without parole is unprecedented in child rape cases in Australia The judge described the attack as "sexual abuse of the most horrifying and degrading kind"

Judge Paul Conlon described the attack as "every parent's worst nightmare" on Friday when he sentenced Anthony Sampieri to life behind bars with a non-parole period.

Sampieri's sentencing was delayed last December after he was diagnosed with liver cancer and began treatment at a hospital in Sydney's east.

The 56-year-old was on parole in November 2018 when he punched, bound, choked and raped a child while filming the ordeal in the men's toilet cubicle of a Kogarah dance studio.

The self-confessed drug addict was high on ice and threatened to cut the girl's throat if she made any noise during the attack.

Throughout the case, Sampieri used Legal Aid to fund his defence, and is expected to apply for taxpayer money to pay for his appeal.

Before 2015, anyone convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 10 could face a maximum life sentence of 25 years behind bars.

Four years later, Sampieri became the first paedophile in Australia to be jailed for life with a non-parole period for the rape of a child.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 34 seconds 1 m 34 s Acting Judge Paul Conlon described the attack as "horrifying" and "degrading"

During sentencing, Judge Conlon said Sampieri showed a "complete lack of empathy for the child", who had been subject to "sexual abuse of the most horrifying and degrading kind".

The primary school girl was freed from Sampieri when mechanic Nick Gilio tackled him to the ground of the bathroom.

Mr Gilio welcomed the life sentence on Friday.

"To my tiny dancer … it was my absolute honour to have served you and freed you from the hands of evil … today is your day for justice, your day towards light and healing," he said outside the NSW District Court.

The ABC understands several of Sampieri's victims are outraged at his intention to fight his sentence in the Criminal Court of Appeal.

His legal team has six months to formally lodge the application.