Convicted double killer and white supremacist Hayden McKenzie has appealed his 21-year non-parole sentence for the murder of a Korean backpacker.
Mackenzie, 31, admitted killing Jae Hyeon Kim near Westport in 2003 and was last year sentenced to life imprisonment.
He was already four years into a life sentence for his part in the murder of James John (Janis) Bambrough, a homosexual killed at Westport in 1999.
Defence lawyer Greg King today told the Court of Appeal today the second life sentence was "manifestly excessive" as 21 years on top of the four years already served equated to a non-parole period of 25 years.
Mr King said the sentencing judge failed to give proper weight to mitigating factors such as McKenzie's early guilty plea and co-operation with police.
The "proper" non-parole period should have been 17 years, he said.
Mr King also said a reduced sentence would encourage people like McKenzie "to see the tangible benefit" of pleading guilty.
Crown prosecutor Annabel Markham said the sentence was consistent with other double homicide cases.
McKenzie's co-operation with police should be viewed as the absence of an aggravating feature rather than a genuine mitigating feature, she said.
The judges reserved their decision.
