WA man gets 23 years for meth murder

A Perth man who brutally murdered a fellow methamphetamine user as revenge for his violence and disrespect has been jailed for at least 23 years.

Dominic Calabro, 40, tied up, beat and repeatedly stabbed Andrew Minh Tran, 29, before cutting his throat after he arrived unexpectedly at Calabro's house, punched him at the doorway and walked inside in July 2018.

At his West Australian Supreme Court trial last year, Calabro testified he was defending himself against Mr Tran, who he described as a home invader, saying had been violent and menacing in prior days, and he expected future threats.

"I didn't believe I had a choice in the matter," Calabro said.

"He was a violent and aggressive person, and constantly threatening me and others.

"I'm proud that I survived an ordeal.

"I'm glad that I'm alive and if that meant he had to die then so be it."

After the killing, Calabro contacted police, telling them there was a body at his house and arranged to meet them at a fast food outlet.

"I just got pushed too far and I just had enough," he told them.

"It was either going to be him or me.

"Nobody touches me without consequences."

At Calabro's sentencing on Friday, defence counsel Simon Freitag accepted the murder, which involved about five implements including a tow hook, was brutal and prolonged, and left behind a "horrific" crime scene.

Justice Lindy Jenkins rejected Calabro's claims he acted in self-defence, saying the degrading and vicious killing was revenge for violence Mr Tran had inflicted "and the fact he had disrespected you".

Justice Jenkins said the father-of-two intended to kill Mr Tran because he believed he "deserved" it, forming a "toxic and malicious plan" fuelled by meth use and paranoid thoughts about the victim's plans and connections.

"You wanted to take out vengeance on him," she said.

"You seemed to consider it your right to take action against Mr Tran."

At one point, Calabro gave Mr Tran ice to soothe his injuries "to give him a chance to beg for his life", Justice Jenkins said.

She accepted Mr Tran had been aggressive, erratic and difficult to control but Calabro could have got away from him in the days prior to the killing, when the father-of-one stayed at his house.

"There were clearly other options."

Calabro also had a choice to seek treatment for his depression, but instead selfishly took meth, which brought the risk of extreme violence.

"Methamphetamine is not a medicine," Justice Jenkins said.

Outside court, the victim's mother Debbie Tran said she was satisfied with the sentence.

"It's been really hard - especially because he was tortured so horrifically," Ms Tran said.

"We'll never get over it."