The mother of a woman whose death was caused by a body modifier has told a Sydney court "a monster has been kept off the streets", as Brendan Leigh Russell waits to learn his sentence.
Last year, the 41-year-old was found guilty of manslaughter, female genital mutilation and intentionally causing grievous bodily harm.
His charges related to procedures on three separate women at a Central Coast studio between 2015 and 2017, including one who died after Russell inserted a snowflake-shaped implant in her right hand.
A judge-alone trial heard the woman, who cannot be identified, went to Russell two days before she died in April 2017 complaining of pain and possible infection.
During that visit Russell removed her implant, cleaned the wound and then re-inserted it.
Russell was found by the judge to have discouraged her from seeking urgent medical assistance and breached a duty of care.
The woman's mother today told a sentence hearing in the NSW District Court Russell had "not shown the slightest remorse at any time, nor has he accepted any responsibility".
She said she misses her daughter with every breath.
"I was going to say there are no winners here, but there are," the woman said.
"Because I truly believe a monster has been kept off the streets here.
"All we can hope is the awareness of the consequences of Brendan Russell's actions will make a change.
"Our hope is no other family will have to go through what we are going through."
A woman who underwent a "tummy tuck" by Russell in 2016 was left in "extreme pain" and told the court her scarring, following corrective surgeries, was a constant reminder of what she endured.
She said she was "traumatised" and her emotions constantly alternated between hurt, anger, sadness and disbelief.
Russell appeared via video link as the woman addressed him directly.
"You were not qualified to do that procedure on me," the woman said.
"You did not provide me with a duty of care ... you did not care about what could happen to me, my sons could have lost their mother, but you didn't care."
The woman told Russell she put her trust in him as a "so-called professional and so-called friend".
"I wish our paths had never crossed."
Mark Tedeschi QC, who is representing Russell, said the matter of consent would be a "highly relevant" factor in determining the sentence.
"The three victims knew perfectly well what his qualifications, and lack of qualifications, were," Mr Tedeschi said.
The fact Russell may not have provided a "voluminous list" of potential complications didn't mean the victims hadn't consented, he argued.
Putting aside the female genital mutilation charge, Mr Tedeschi said had the same procedures been done by a medical practitioner and resulted in the same consequences, "nobody in their right mind" would suggest the practitioner was criminally liable.
"From time to time, medical practitioners do horrific things and make terrible mistakes."
Russell will be sentenced on July 4.
