A husband who stabbed his wife to death while she nursed their baby wanted to plead guilty for a lesser sentence - more than a year after a jury convicted him at trial.
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Maged Mohammed Ahmed Al-Harazi - who denied the murder - applied to the ACT Supreme Court saying he had lied and would now like to tell the truth to get a sentence of less than 21 years or be acquitted.
He is currently serving a 30 year jail sentence.
But a judge on Friday swiftly disposed of the killer's tardy appeal, saying his plea became irrelevant the moment the jury entered its verdict at trial and the admissions now were motivated only by his self-interest.
Al-Harazi, 37, stabbed his wife Salah Al-Mdwali some 50 times in her front and back while, or just after, she breastfed their child in bed. Neighbours had heard a loud argument from the home that raged for hours.
The trial heard Al-Harazi had lost his job that day and the pair had signed a new 12-month agreement on their Gordon home.
Al-Harazi was arrested on the day of the murder on March 17, 2015, but not before concocting a story that he told his children, that their uncle and grandfather had killed the woman.
He repeated the same story to police when he drove to Tuggeranong Police Station that day.
But Al-Harazi’s belated desire to appeal his April 2017 conviction and 30 year prison sentence came a year after he was convicted and sentenced.
That meant he needed the court’s leave to appeal out of time.
In a decision published Friday, Justice David Mossop dismissed the killer’s request.
Justice Mossop found no adequate explanation for Al-Harazi's failure to appeal within the time limits.
He also said the proposed grounds to challenge the conviction or sentence did not disclose an arguable basis for interfering with either.
"So long as the conviction stands the offender has proved to be guilty is plea is no longer relevant as it has been overtaken by the jury's verdict," the judge said.
He also pointed out, in relation to prospects of the appeal on sentence, that there was no benefit to the justice system from Al-Harazi's belated plea.
"Further, the pleas of guilty would not be indicative of remorse or prospects of rehabilitation having regard to the fact that it only comes after a long and now admittedly false, denial of responsibility for the murder.
"And in circumstances where the only motivation is his self-interest in reducing his sentence."
Al-Harazi is serving a 30 year sentence in the Alexander Maconochie Centre, with a non-parole term of 21 years.
He will be eligible for parole in March 2036.
