KEITH Woodford broke 14 months of public silence over the murder of his wife to implore authorities to introduce “Gayle’s Law” — and by nightfall on Thursday, the State Government had granted his wish.

After seeing reviled murderer Dudley David Davey jailed for life with a 32-year non-parole period, Mr Woodford made a brief but poignant statement outside the Supreme Court.

He struggled to fight back tears as he applauded Justice Ann Vanstone’s sentence and pledged to continue fighting for “Gayle’s Law” — which would make it illegal for health workers to attend callouts in remote communities alone.

“I will do whatever is necessary to apply public pressure on governments and health authorities to implement Gayle’s Law,” Mr Woodford said.

“I want every nurse to feel like when they go to work, they can go to work without fear of being raped, murdered or beaten.”

Mr Woodford’s crusade was bolstered by a vow from the State Government on Thursday to implement Gayle’s Law across the network of South Australian remote health providers.

The Advertiser has helped spearhead the campaign, which drew more than 170,000 signatures to an online petition calling for Gayle’s Law.

A spokesman for the Health Minister Jack Snelling said the Government would act as quickly as possible to bring the law into effect.

While the majority of remote health services are funded by the Federal Government, the state legislation would oblige them to adhere to the law, similar to road regulations.

Mr Snelling’s spokesman said while the law would likely require further Commonwealth funding to implement, the minister did not anticipate the Federal Government would oppose the legislation.

Mr Woodford last night applauded the Weatherill Government’s commitment, describing the pledge as “great” news.

media_camera Keith Woodford leaves court, with daughter Alison and son Gary. Picture Greg Higgs 8/6/2017

In an emotional 20-minute sentencing on Thursday, Justice Vanstone said Davey’s prior criminal record of attacks on women would likely render him a danger until the day he died.

Justice Vanstone reduced Davey’s non-parole period from 35 to 32 years, after giving him credit for pleading guilty to the rape and murder of Ms Woodford and the theft of Nganampa Health Service’s ambulance at Fregon on the APY Lands in March, 2016.

Davey, who had assaulted numerous women, including another APY nurse in 1998, was found to have an anti-social personality disorder and an “abnormal desire to rape women”.

“Looking at your record, sadly there was a certain inevitability about your offending escalating as it has,” Justice Vanstone said.

Despite Davey’s claims he initially intended to only steal the ambulance used by Ms Woodford, Justice Vanstone ruled he was motivated by the urge to rape a “vulnerable” target from the outset.

“She was plainly chosen by you as an easy target,” she said.

“You targeted a vulnerable woman who worked with skill and compassion in your community.”

Justice Vanstone said she could not be certain if Ms Woodford was killed in an area of scrub outside Fregon where she was raped, or a spot nearby where her body was found in a crudely dug grave covered with branches.

media_camera Gayle Woodford's husband Keith cries as family and friends of Gayle Woodford hear sentencing submissions in the Supreme Court on Monday. Image: AAP/David Mariuz.

Davey initially denied killing Ms Woodford but pleaded guilty in the face of overwhelming forensic evidence.

“Having (raped Ms Woodford) you decided to kill her in the hope of covering up the rape and the theft,” Justice Vanstone said.

However, Justice Vanstone said the severity of the attack belied Davey’s claims.

“The body bore multiple injury sites from blunt trauma, including to the brain. Those injuries indicate that you must have intended to kill her,” she said.

An autopsy revealed Davey had also subjected Ms Woodford to a violent sexual assault before killing her.

Justice Vanstone said Davey’s guilty plea was the “only mitigating factor” in the crime, which he committed while on a three-day ice bender, during which Fregon people became frightened by his odd behaviour.

“In the day or so leading up to these crimes, you were behaving oddly and you caused some apprehension among your fellow community members at Fregon,” she said.

Justice Vanstone said while the ruse Davey used to lure Ms Woodford from her secured home may never be known, it was indisputable that she was taken against her will.

“You must have immediately overpowered her. She would not have left willingly with you, dressed (in pyjamas) and without her nurse’s bag, or even her house keys,” she said.

Keith Woodford leaves Adelaide Court Keith Woodford leaves Adelaide Court

Dozens of Ms Woodford’s family and friends had attended each of Davey’s court hearings, and Justice Vanstone said the outpouring of grief made it “painfully apparent that Ms Woodford was a much-loved wife, mother, sister and close friend to many”.

“It is clear that she was a warm, clever, accomplished and intelligent person who was looked up to and esteemed both within her family and in her wider circle,” she said.

Justice Vanstone said a community impact statement from the Fregon people highlighted the enormous impact the murder had on them.

“(The statement) demonstrates just how much this murder was a crime against those people for whom Ms Woodford worked and who had come to respect and care for her, as it is against her own family and friends,” she said.

media_camera Dudley Davey when he was arrested for the murder of Gayle Woodford. Image: Channel 7

After Davey was led from the dock for what is likely to be the final time, members of Ms Woodford’s family cried openly and embraced outside the courtroom.

Justice Vanstone said Davey’s shocking crime had devastated not only Ms Woodford’s family and friends, but the entire community of Fregon.

Davey was born in Alice Springs but lived in Fregon until he was about 16.

He had just been released from jail over the assault of a sleeping woman in Adelaide in 2012. He would never be welcomed back to the APY Lands and was ostracised by other inmates in prison, Justice Vanstone said.

Mr Woodford, who was asleep in bed unaware his wife had been abducted and murdered, said Davey should die behind bars.

“Dudley Davey should never, ever be allowed out of jail for the crime that he committed,” Mr Woodford said.

He said the murder had for some time robbed him of his will to carry on.

“Without the loving care of my children and our extended family and friends, I would not be here today — they have given me a purpose to face each new day,” he said.

When asked to describe how much his wife had meant to him and his family, Mr Woodford struggled to answer.

“There is no way that I could express it — she is here,” Mr Woodford said, pointing towards his heart.

media_camera APY Lands nurse Gayle Woodford was murdered by Dudley Davey. Source: Facebook

How does Dudley Davey’s sentence compare?

Dudley Davey’s 32-year non-parole period is one of the longest set in South Australia.

Here’s how it compares ...

John Justin Bunting and Robert Joe Wagner, “bodies in the barrels” serial killers, serving life in prison with no parole.

Mark Errin Rust, who murdered Maya Jakic and Megumi Suzuki, jailed indefinitely.

Dieter Pfennig, convicted of the murders of Louise Bell and Michael Black, serving a combined 60-year non parole period.

Barry Michael Fyfe, multiple crimes including stabbing a convicted rapist in jail, 39-year non-parole period.

Bevan Spencer von Einem, murdered Richard Kelvin, 36-year non-parole but unlikely to ever be released under legislation introduced to keep him in jail.

James William Miller, Truro murderer, 35-year non-parole period.

Jason Alexander Downie, Kapunda triple murderer, 35-year non-parole period.

Jose Omonte-Extrada, murdered two women at Quorn, 33-year non-parole period.

Angelika Gavare, murdered and dismembered pensioner Vonne McGlynn, 32-year non-parole period.