KEY POINTS:
The man who beat a North Shore teenager to death in the back of a prison van appeared in the Court of Appeal at Auckland yesterday arguing to have his prison term reduced.
George Baker - representing himself from the dock - began his brief appearance by requesting
an adjournment as he had not had enough time to prepare.
However, Justices Tony Randerson, William Young and Graham Panckhurst refused his request, and ordered he make submissions why his 18-year sentence should be cut.
"Umm, I just feel that 18 years was too long," he told the court.
Baker was jailed after admitting murdering 17-year-old Liam Ashley while the pair were being transported from North Shore District Court to Auckland Remand Centre, Mt Eden, in August.
Baker, dressed in trackpants and clutching an armful of paperwork, said the sentencing judge had not taken into account psychiatric reports, and he had not been properly represented by counsel.
Lawyer Tony Bouchier appeared for Baker at sentencing, and Baker said he was happy with the job he did.
"He said the right things, but I feel 18 years is too much. I feel 18 years was a bit too long."
His plea drew howls of derision from Ashley family members present in court.
Crown solicitor Simon Moore told the court the sentence was appropriate given Baker's motive: that he had killed Liam as he thought he was an informant who would give evidence against him.
The 18-year minimum was appropriate given similar cases, such as the 17 years handed own to Coral-Ellen Burrows' killer Steven Williams.
Responding to Mr Moore's submissions, Baker said: "I know those inmates myself, and I don't know why they consider their cases with mine. Their cases happened on the outside."
He said he was not trying to "make out I am a victim", but he had discussed the matter with his mother, and believed his sentence was "too much".
The justices reserved their decision, and Baker was led from court to cries of "Hang yourself, George" from the public gallery.
Outside court, Liam's father, Ian Ashley, told reporters the family was "very comfortable" that Mr Moore had Baker's appeal "completely in hand".
The hearing was delayed when Baker refused to travel from Mt Eden Prison to court in a Chubb security van.
The hearing was scheduled for 10am but did not happen until 2.15pm after Baker eventually agreed to being transported.
The court would not comment on the matter.