Work and Income gunman: Double killer's appeal begins

A man convicted of murdering two Work and Income workers in Ashburton in 2014 is appealing against his conviction and sentence.

In 2016, now-54-year-old Russell Tully was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 27 years.

Justice Cameron Mander described the shootings at the time as "cold-blooded executions" by a "very dangerous person" - who's capable of extremely violent actions.

Tully was found guilty of being the masked gunman who stormed the Mid-Canterbury WINZ centre on September 1 in 2014.

He was only in the building for 60 seconds - but in that time he shot dead 67-year-old receptionist Peggy Noble from point-blank range, and shot 55-year-old case manager Susan Cleveland three times as she pleaded for her life.

Tully was also found guilty of attempting to murder case manager Kim Adams, who felt a bullet whiz past her head.

He was found not guilty of attempting to murder case manager Lindy Curtis, who was shot in the leg and badly injured while hiding under a desk.

Tully is representing himself in at the Cour of Appeal, supported by amicus curiae Christopher Stevenson.

His demeanour is much calmer than previous court appearances, during one of which he had to be removed from court and restrained in a wheelchair.

Today he was sitting quietly at the bench with Corrections staff, looking through boxes of extensive notes and paperwork he has prepared.

Stevenson questioned Tully's amicus curiae at the time of his original trial - James Rapley, QC, - who was asked about his interactions with the defendant at the time, and whether he believed Tully was able to fully participate in the trial.

Rapley told the court Tully spent much of the time leading up to the trial fretting about a skin condition he believes he has, which he treats by pouring hydrogen peroxide into his ear canals.

The court heard Tully told lawyers he believed he only had two years to live, and would die in jail.

Rapley confirmed Tully was preoccupied in meetings about how he didn't have time to prepare for his trial, because it took him five hours a day to treat his condition.

He also confirmed Tully was not able to be present for a majority of the trial, and claimed he couldn't hear the evidence because his ears were in so much pain.

"At one stage, Tully was simply lying under a blanket moaning as the trial continued downstairs."