Killer bodybuilder’s latest move

Killer bodybuilder Sven Lindemann has launched a fresh courtroom challenge, aiming to have his jail sentence reduced over the brutal murder of his former partner.

Lindemann, 52, was jailed for 31 years in May after pleading guilty to the murder of Monique Lezsak, 39, and the reckless injury of her 10-year-old daughter.

The former professional bodybuilder attacked Ms Lezsak with a knife in the morning of May 30 last year after she ended their five-year relationship.

Her daughter Lily, a pseudonym, tried desperately to stop him and suffered minor injuries in the process.

In a three-minute attack described by Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth as brutal and frenzied, Lindemann left Ms Lezsak with 17 wounds. He used six knives before turning the blade onto himself.

Handing down the sentence, Justice Hollingworth said Lindemann was motivated by “hypocrisy and a sense of entitlement” when Ms Lezsak revealed she was interested in pursuing another relationship.

“All too frequently courts are faced with male offenders like you who are unable or unwilling to accept that their relationship is over or that their partner has a right to move on with their life and who respond with anger, jealously and violence,” she said.

“This was not a momentary loss of self-control. You were clearly determined to kill Ms Lezsak.”

The Victorian Supreme Court was told Lindemann continued to blame the attack on Ms Lezsak, telling his parents in a recorded jailhouse call “that woman wrecked everything”.

“She shouldn’t have started something with the other man. That’s why, that’s why, it was as though she poured petrol onto the fire,” he was recorded as saying.

Justice Hollingworth also admonished the bodybuilder for wailing in court, demanding he “stop the crocodile tears”.

“It’s not remotely persuasive. It’s a bit late for him to pretend he’s remorseful,” she said.

“The evidence is completely to the contrary. He still maintains she ruined his life, he doesn’t accept that he killed her and ruined his own life.”

Lindemann has lodged a formal appeal against his sentence with the Court of Appeal, with a date for the hearing yet to be set.