The courtroom was always set to be thick with tension and awash with emotion as killer Marcus Rappel learned his fate for the axe murder of his ex-partner Tara Costigan.
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Dramatic scenes played out early on as an agitated Rappel lashed out at Justice John Burns and had to be removed from his own sentence hand-down.
Ms Costigan's supporters broke into soft applause as they learned her killer would spend a minimum of 26 years behind bars for his crimes.
In the end, Rappel reacted to the news in private and absent of the public glare after the judge was forced to adjourn after he was led away and taken to watch the proceedings from a remote room.
Rappel, dressed in a black suit and collared shirt, appeared calm as he entered the courtroom filled with Ms Costigan's supporters, his mother and sisters.
He showed signs of frustration and agitation early on, interrupting Justice Burn's remarks with loud calls of "rubbish" when he described him as a poor witness who gave dishonest evidence.
"I'm the only one that hasn't lied," he said.
Family members wept as the judge spoke in detail of the frantic moments surrounding Ms Costigan's death.
Tensions bubbled over when Justice Burns said he was satisfied Rappel's anger the day of the murder was triggered by the interim domestic violence order taken out against him and not, as he claimed, frustrations over retrieving furniture.
The judge's comments prompted Rappel to yell, "to see my daughter", then "f--- my furniture".
"He's called me a f---ing liar," he yelled.
His family members repeatedly shouted his name in a bid to calm him down.
But Rappel was led from court in handcuffs shouting, "rights for fathers", as Ms Costigan's family and friends in the public gallery scoffed.
Outside court, the mood was sombre as relatives expressed disappointment Rappel had dodged a life sentence.
Ms Costigan's cousin Nathan Costigan said it was difficult to react to Rappel's in-court behaviour.
"We're still all pretty emotional. He was escorted from the court I'm not entirely sure why but he was pretty angry.
"Obviously that stirred the emotions of our family and the other side of Tara's family, which I think's fair.
"But it was almost expected I think, that kind of scenario."
