Girlfriend of Lindt Cafe gunman Man Monis appeals her 44-year sentence for stabbing murder of his wife

  • Amirah Droudis, girlfriend of the Lindt Cafe gunman is in prison for murder
  • She savagely stabbed his wife in 2013 following a bitter custody dispute
  • The converted Islamic terrorist was sentenced to 44 years in prison in 2016
  • But she is now appealing the prison sentence, calling it 'manifestly excessive' 
  • Monis killed two people after taking hostages during the Sydney siege in 2014 
  • The couple were controversially out on bail at the time of the terrorist attack
The girlfriend of the Sydney Lindt Cafe gunman who was sentenced to 44 years in prison for murdering his wife is using tax-payer money to appeal her sentence. 
Amirah Droudis, now 37, was convicted in 2016 after stabbing the mother-of-two 18 times and setting her on fire following a bitter custody battle with Man Monis.
Monis, who was shot dead at the Martin Place siege in 2014 after holding 18 people hostage, recruited his girlfriend to murder his wife in 2013.
But she has now launched a publicly-funded appeal to have her sentence reduced, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Using Legal Aid NSW, which is funded by Australian taxpayers, she will argue the sentence was 'manifestly excessive', with the case due to be heard in June by the Court of Criminal Appeal next month. 
Man Haron Monis (pictured), the Sydney siege terrorist, helped Droudis kill his wife
Amirah Droudis (pictured) is appealing her 44-year murder sentence
Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis (pictured, left) recruited girlfriend Amirah Droudis (right) to murder his wife in 2013
Amirah Droudis (pictured in 2016) was sentenced to 44 years in prison for savagely stabbing the mother-of-two, known as Helen Lee
Amirah Droudis (pictured in 2016) was sentenced to 44 years in prison for savagely stabbing the mother-of-two, known as Helen Lee
 The victim had arrived at Monis' Werrington apartment block to collect their two children on April 21, 2013, but was attacked by Droudis in the hallway. 
After a judge-only trial, she was sentenced to 44 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 33 years.
Her victim was given the pseudonym Helen Lee to protect her family's identity. 
Controversially, Droudis - who declared herself a terrorist - had been on bail when Monis launched his rampage in Sydney's CBD.   
Monis was also on bail, leaving him free to undertake the horrific terrorist hostage-taking, killing cafe manager Tori Johnson and mother and lawyer Katrina Dawson.
Sydney siege hostage Elly Chen (pictured) is seen escaping the Lindt Chocolate cafe in Martin Placeon December 15 2014
Sydney siege hostage Elly Chen (pictured) is seen escaping the Lindt Chocolate cafe in Martin Placeon December 15 2014 

Monis (pictured at his wedding to his first wife, whose identity has never been revealed) organised for her to be murdered during a bitter custody dispute
Monis (pictured at his wedding to his first wife, whose identity has never been revealed) organised for her to be murdered during a bitter custody dispute
He had been accused of his wife's murder and a series of sex offences. 
There is no suggesting Droudis was involved in the siege. 
Justice Peter Johnson, who found her guilty in 2016, she Monis planned the murder and recruited his girlfriend to carry it out, calling him an 'evil man' with 'vile beliefs'.  
Previously a mini-skirt-wearing hairdresser, Droudis met the terrorist in 2003.
She soon converted to Islam, changing her name from  Anastasia to Amirah.
Droudis then appeared in 11 vile terrorist videos, which praised Osama bin Laden and gleefully discussed the September 11 terror attacks, the Bali bombings and the Holocaust. 
'This was a brutal and callous attack upon a defenceless woman,' Justice Johnson said at the time.
'(Droudis) continued to stab Helen Lee after she was on the ground, making an attempt to defend herself by raising her hand.'
Monis later tried to establish an alibi by staging a car crash outside a nearby police station to coincide with the time of the murder, later claiming Ms Lee's own father killed her.  
A spokesman for Legal Aid NSW said they were not allowed to comment on 'clients or potential clients'.  
The siege ended when police killed Monis after he shot hostage and Lindt Cafe manager Johnson.  

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