<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A man who brutally stabbed his partner to death and burned her body after an argument over drugs, money and another woman will serve at least 24 years behind bars.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Luke Hanif Sekkouah pleaded guilty in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/western-australia" rel="" target="" title="WA"><span>WA</span></a><span> Supreme Court to Erica Hay's murder in Perth's southern suburbs in April 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 37-year-old was sentenced on Friday to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 24 years.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tropical-cyclone-narelle-cape-york-peninsula-cops-heavy-rain-flooding-power-outages-northern-territory-on-alert-queensland-weather/45502514-e6ca-4110-8d4d-665a73b7995d"><strong><span>NT braces for Cyclone Narelle as Far North Queensland starts recovery</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sekkouah stabbed Hay in the head, neck and body, piercing her heart, liver and lungs, in a "sustained, relentless and brutal" attack, Justice Natalie Whitby said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She could not defend herself against your rage and you were armed with a deadly weapon," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of Hay's daughters was in the home during the attack and might have seen her dead mother lying on the floor, the court was told.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/perth-news-murderer-gets-life-for-stabbing-and-burning-girlfriend/6013f3ad-06b9-4364-9e98-23fb16441db8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"After you repeatedly stabbed her and she had fallen and hit her head, you continued to stab her," Justice Whitby said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Erica was defenceless against your violence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Erica's injuries were horrific."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sekkouah, a methylamphetamine user, left the house and bought a six-pack of beer from a nearby liquor store.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He then stole a bottle of turpentine from an IGA supermarket and returned to the home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the early hours of the next morning, he poured it on Hay and some furniture and ignited it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Your intention to incinerate Erica's body after you had killed her was a vile and degrading act," Justice Whitby said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This attempt to cover up was deliberate and planned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Your offending is the most extreme form of domestic violence."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sekkouah, who was covered in tattoos and sat motionless in court, then scooped up Hay's daughter and ran from the house to a neighbour's home and asked them to call emergency services.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Firefighters found Hay's partially burned body lying in a hallway.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sekkouah, a mechanical fitter, told police he was sleeping in the house when it filled with smoke and he ran out after grabbing Hay's daughter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Detectives became suspicious when they learned Sekkouah had not suffered from smoke inhalation and saw Hay's 23 injuries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hay was a mother, daughter, sister and a friend, Justice Whitby said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"No term of imprisonment can measure the value of her life," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She had so much life ahead of her."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sekkouah initially fought the murder charge, pleading guilty on the first day of a trial.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He then disputed the facts, triggering a multi-day hearing to resolve the issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Whitby was scathing of Sekkouah's apology letter, saying his "sustained and deceptive conduct demonstrated a lack of remorse".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The court heard Sekkouah suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and lacked the skills to manage relationships. He drank alcohol and used cannabis daily.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Outside of court, Hay's childhood friend, Amanda Broad, said she hoped Sekkouah "rots in hell" and he should not have been given a non-parole period.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I just want my friend back and I'm never going to get her back," she said, crying.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He gets to sit pretty in prison ... my friend doesn't, my friend is gone."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>