The murderer of a teenager has been sentenced to 27 years of imprisonment on Tuesday, more than three decades after committing the crime. Stephen James Bradley, 53, killed 16-year-old Michelle Buckingham in 1983 by stabbing her at least 19 times.

The body of the 16-year-old from Shepparton, Victoria, was discovered two weeks after she disappeared following a night out in 1983 by a countryside road. The case was reopened in 2012 and Bradley, who was 21 years old at the time of the incident, was arrested.

"You have never shown remorse for the horrific savagery of your crime," Justice Robert Osborn told Bradley. "Its casual and heartless quality is, in a fundamental sense, totally abhorrent. Not only did you kill a young woman at the start of her adult life but you caused permanent emotional damage to those who love her."

Bradley was found guilty of the offence in October and he will be eligible for parole after serving 21 years in jail. Bradley’s confession to his brother-in-law, Norm Gribble, that he, along with two others killed Buckingham, was the main evidence given to the jurors against him. The piece of information was kept secret by Gribble for 30 years in a bid to keep his family ties intact. In 2012, a series of articles on the murder of Buckingham in the Shepparton News urged him to contact the police. The case was reopened and Bradley was found guilty.

The ABC reported that the victim’s niece, Sonja Dewar, read out a statement on behalf of her mother, Karen Dewar, and uncle Phillip Buckingham outside the court.

"Justice has finally arrived for our beautiful sister Michelle after 32 years," she read. "It's just sad that mum never got to see the outcome today. We are extremely happy with the outcome of today's sentencing and we are glad the justice system has not let us down. We would like to thank everyone for their support, especially over the last few months, during the trial."

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.

RELATED STORIES