A murder of the worst category ... the killer Matthew Milat, top left, and clockwise, a bag with his name taped on is taken from court, murder victim David Auchterlonie's mother Donna Locke and grandfather, David Auchterlonie, Milat's grandfather, Bill, and David Auchterlonie's father, also David Auchterlonie. Credit:Simon Alekna and Mick Tsikas ------------------------------------------------------------ In the NSW Supreme Court today Justice Jane Mathews said: "In the last 10 minutes of his life, the deceased was subject to almost inconceivable torment and torture by Milat. "It is almost impossible to imagine the terror that the deceased was subjected to. It was a thoroughly senseless and brutal murder. "He took the life of an innocent young man who was unfortunate enough to be his friend in a completely brutal manner, simply for his own enjoyment.

Matthew Milat being led away after being sentenced for the murder of David Auchterlonie. Credit:Mick Tsikas "Having regard to the whole of the evidence, I consider Milat, with his personality disorder, to be at best a substantial risk and poses a serious potential danger to the community. "I am unable to find that these are genuine expressions of remorse. In my view they were written for forensic purposes only. In particular the poems were particularly inconsistent with remorse. He almost appeared to be revelling in the events." Cohen Klein was sentenced to 32 years in jail with a 22-year non-parole period. Credit:Mick Tsikas On the night of November 20, 2010, David was lured into the Belanglo State Forest, where Ivan Milat killed seven backpackers in the early '90s, with the promise of smoking cannabis and drinking to celebrate his 17th birthday.

He was joined by Milat and Klein - both now 19 and both convicted of murder - and a third friend, Chase Day, who has not been charged. In the last 10 minutes of his life, the deceased was subject to almost inconceivable torment and torture by Milat. When the teenagers arrived at the southern highlands forest, David was tortured, tormented and then murdered with a double-sided axe by Milat. His body was buried in the forest in what Crown prosecutor Lloyd Babb, SC, described as "an adrenalin-fuelled thrill kill". Before the killing, Milat reportedly rubbed his hands together and said: "We're going to Belanglo, someone's going to die."

During the recent sentencing hearings for Milat and Klein, Justice Mathews heard that the teenagers had made a mobile phone recording of the murder as a personal "trophy" of what they had done. Milat later bragged about his actions, telling friends that he was doing "what my family does", and attempted to glorify the murder in a series of poems he wrote in jail and later sent to his mother. David's mother and grandparents said Milat and Klein should be given life sentences by Justice Mathews. But the teenagers' barristers argued that their youth, lack of previous convictions, and early guilty pleas entitled them to reduced jail terms. Justice Mathews was also told during the sentencing hearing that Milat had recently made a number of expressions of remorse, including writing a letter apologising to David's family "from the depths of my heart".

The prosecution asked for the discount on sentence usually given to offenders who enter early guilty pleas to be waived in the case of Milat because of the threat he posed to the community. Justice Mathews indicated that a key question in determining the length of the sentences would be the extent of premeditation. The teenagers' lawyers said they went to the forest with the intention to hurt and to scare David, but not to kill him. This is particularly the case with Klein. "This is a very unusual case, in that the decision about the seriousness of the offence hinges very much on the question of premeditation," Justice Mathews said. A crucial element in Justice Mathews's decision was her finding that the murder was premeditated, which she said put the killing into the worst category.

"If any additional support were required for the proposition that this was a premeditated killing on the part of Milat, it can be found in the poems he wrote in custody some nine months later," she said. "Not only did Milat describe himself in one of these poems as a cold-blooded killer, but the poem "Your last day" ... has all the hallmarks of a gloated reminiscence of the deliberate tormenting and killing of the deceased. "In all the circumstances, I have no doubt whatsoever that the killing of the deceased by the offender Milat was a deliberate premeditated one." Justice Mathews rejected the request from Milat's barrister for him to be kept in juvenile detention rather than an adult jail until he turned 21 to allow him to complete his HSC, ordering that he immediately be transferred to an adult facility. In determining the length of the sentence, she also found that Milat was not entitled to the discount usually given to offenders who enter guilty pleas.

Outside court, David's mother, Donna Locke, and one of his friends unfurled a banner consisting of an Aboriginal flag and the words: "RIP David, may the three murderers rot in hell". The use of the word "three" was a reference to Milat, Klein, and apparently to Chase Day. "It will never ever be enough because David is gone," Ms Locke said. "He [Milat] can still come out and live some of his life, which is something David can never do." Loading

"He shouldn't have have been allowed to leave until he was cold and grey in a body bag like my son [when he] left the forest." David's grandfather, David Auchterlonie snr, said: "I don't care about his rehabilitation ... hopefully by the time he leaves jail he'll be past it."