UPDATED 11.36am: Michael Preston has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 19 years for the murder of Mei Fan.

He's also been sentenced to one year in prison for breaching a protection order Ms Fan took out against him the night before the murder.

That will be served at the same time.

In going through the facts of the case, Justice Joe Williams told Preston the stabbing was carried out with singular, and merciless brutality.

"It is impossible, Mr Preston, to imagine the horror of Ms Fan's last minutes of life as you went about this execution, Justice Williams said.

"The evidence is that this killing was deeply personal, not just because it involved a brutal attack to the throat because you purposely left the throat in Ms Fan's neck as a final insult to her and a mark of your victory."