A murderer has stared at his victim’s family in court and been told off by a judge for repeated outbursts as his lawyers argued his life sentence was “manifestly excessive”.

Victorian man Adrian Basham, 49, launched an appeal against his murder conviction and sentence on Friday.

While appearing at the Victorian Court of Appeal, he turned around in the dock multiple times to stare down and point at supporters of Samantha Fraser, who he was convicted of murdering at her Phillip Island home in July 2018.

Fraser, who was Basham’s ex-wife, alleged he repeatedly raped her during their 10-year marriage. She was due to give evidence in court later that month.

Instead, Basham broke into her garage and assaulted her before tying a noose around her neck and hanging her from the garage door in an attempt to stage her death as a suicide.

In 2023, Basham was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 30 years for what the trial judge described as an “objectively heinous” crime.

But Basham’s barrister, Dermot Dann, KC, argued the sentence was manifestly excessive as the judge had wrongly determined the case was in the worst category of murder.

The sentencing judge also failed to consider Basham’s good prospects of rehabilitation, his prior good character and the lengthy delays in the case, Dann said on Friday.

The defence barrister argued the judge did not direct the jury properly when it came to the allegations of rape Basham was facing at the time of the murder.

The jurors were wrongly told it was up to them to determine whether Fraser’s statements about the rape were truthful, Mr Dann said.

But prosecutor Stephanie Clancy contended on Friday that the judge had made multiple directions to the jury that the allegations were not proven and that Basham was entitled to the presumption of innocence.

During Clancy’s submissions, Basham yelled out and pointed at the police informant, telling him to “check the camera footage”.

After another outburst, Court of Appeal president Justice Karin Emerton told the convicted killer his presence was not required in the courtroom.

“He’s chosen to be here, and if he continues to interrupt, he won’t be able to remain,” Emerton said.

Basham apologised through his lawyer, but continued to fidget and turn around and glare at Fraser’s family during the hearing.

The hearing continues.

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