The parents of a woman strangled by her boyfriend have broken down while giving impact statements about how her death has devastated their lives.
In June this year Jordan Brodie Miller, 21, was found guilty of murdering 18-year-old Emerald Wardle at their home in Metford, near Maitland, in June 2020.
The Supreme Court in Newcastle heard Ms Wardle was in a relationship with Miller and the pair lived together.
Miller argued he was mentally impaired and believed Ms Wardle had turned into a life-sucking demon as he suffered a psychotic episode.
He said he could not be guilty of murder, but the prosecution argued he knew what he was doing.
The jury agreed and convicted him of murder.
Sentencing submissions were heard today.
'I will be haunted'
In her victim impact statement Ms Wardle's mother, Tania Simshauser, revealed the pain that the constant references to her daughter as being a demon had caused her.
"Emmy is the victim who died because she loved and trusted a monster," she said.
"During the murder trial I constantly heard her referred to as the demon.
"She was not a demon — she was my daughter and the absolute light of my life.
"I will be haunted by demons, every night."
Ms Simshauser said she struggled to comprehend what happened and recalled how on the day of the incident she took her daughter's "bedtime dolly" to the hospital.
"It was cold and Emmy hated the cold, and I believed bedtime dolly would comfort Emmy," Ms Simshauser said.
She struggled to speak as she explained how her grief still crippled her today.
"This was the worst day of my life — my body and mind went into complete shock," she said.
"It's the day that changed my soul and the most excruciating period in my life."
Father's 'worst nightmare'
Ms Wardle's father, Matthew Wardle, fought back tears as he told the court of his devastation that he could not protect his "princess".
"Growing up Emerald was always daddy's little girl and wherever I went Emerald would be right on my heels," he said.
"It is every parent's worst nightmare to lose a child, and the day police came to my door is so surreal.
He said losing his daughter was "like a big piece of my heart had been torn from my chest".
"I have sat through this court process in the hope to get Emerald the justice she deserves," Mr Wardle said.
"I have heard people defend Jordan Miller, when he has committed the most heinous of crimes towards another person."
'Completely self-inflicted'
It was not disputed during the trial that Miller had been suffering a psychotic episode.
Crown prosecutor Lee Carr concluded that his unstable state was brought on by taking LSD 11 days earlier.
Defence barrister Peter Krisenthal said Miller's actions were caused by chronic schizophrenia and that Miller was mentally impaired, but the jury rejected that claim.
In his sentencing submission, Mr Krisenthal said the crime would not have happened if his client had not been in that state.
"It is a domestic violence situation, but there was no malice towards Ms Wardle and his actions emanate from his psychotic condition," Mr Krisenthal said.
"In the absence of this psychotic condition, this offence would not have occurred."
Mr Carr told the court Miller had made the choice to take the drug.
"His drug-taking meant it was a completely self-inflicted, causative effect," he said.
Mr Carr said there were signs that Miller recognised that he killed Ms Wardle and knew she was a human and not a demon.
Miller faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory non-parole period of 20 years.
He will be sentenced on October 6.
