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An Adelaide man who broke into a young woman's home while she was sleeping and raped her will remain behind bars until at least 2032.

Michael Benfell was sentenced today for two counts of rape and one of aggravated serious criminal trespass over the April 2018 attack in Parkside.

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The woman initially thought the 26-year-old – a complete stranger – was her partner, before raising the alarm.

Benfell received a maximum sentence of 15 years, 13 days imprisonment with a non-parole period of 12 years and 11 days, back-dated to begin from the time of his incarceration in December 2020.

In handing down the lengthy sentence, District Court Judge Paul Slattery said it was "impossible to completely describe the terror, pain, humiliation or effect that has followed as a result of your actions".

"You violated the sanctity and safety of the home."

The victim told her rapist during an emotional hearing last November that he was "every woman's worst nightmare".

Her boyfriend had just left the house when Benfell attacked her in a dark bedroom while she slept.

She recalled in court how the horrific crime had made her lose trust in everything and everyone, urging the judge to impose a sentence that protects other women.

"This is a very important thing – to encourage more victims to come forward, that they're believed, and to pursue their attackers," South Australian Victims' Rights Commissioner Bronwyn Killmier said.

A horror film-obsessed woman who decapitated her mother in their Sydney home has been jailed for a maximum of almost 22 years.

Jessica Camilleri, 27, did not visibly react but her sister said "thank you" through tears in the moments after she was jailed for the 2019 killing.

Justice Helen Wilson called it a crime of "extraordinary viciousness and brutality".

READ MORE: Sister of woman who beheaded their mother will never forgive her

"She must have been in extreme pain and both shocked and terrified of what was being done to her by her own beloved child," Justice Wilson said.

"Mrs Camilleri's life was cut short in the most horrible manner imaginable."

The court heard at some point that evening on July 20, 2019, Rita Camilleri had become so concerned about her daughter's behaviour she decided to call an ambulance to the St Clair home.

There was a struggle over a mobile phone before she was attacked.

"I am satisfied the offender knocked her mother to the floor and then dragged her to the kitchen by her hair," Justice Wilson said.

Camilleri stabbed her mother more than 200 times with seven knives, decapitating her.

A jury ruled her crime was manslaughter because of an inability to control herself due to her multiple mental health conditions.

"Whether called intermittent explosive disorder ("IED") or seen as a symptom of autism or OCD, I accept as the jury clearly did, that the offender is substantially impaired."

But the judge said Camilleri knew what she was doing was wrong.

The court heard Mrs Camilleri had done everything she could to help her daughter, who refused to take any prescribed medication from about three months before the killing.

At a sentence hearing, Mrs Camilleri's other daughter Kristy Torrisi described her sister as selfish.

"She preferred the attention her behaviour attracted instead," Ms Torrisi said.

"It was her own choices in refusing the help that led her here."

Australia experienced its wettest, coolest summer in at least five years due to La Niña.

Rainfall was above average across the entire season, and December 2020 was the third-wettest since records began in 1900, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).

While we are past the height of La Niña in Australia, it is not quite over yet, climate expert Dr Andrea Taschetto said.

READ MORE: Australia records fifth warmest year on record

"What we are seeing now is actually past the peak of La Niña event and it's slowly fading," she explained.

"We are expecting that La Niña will fade and go back to normal conditions by April/May this year."

"Without La Niña we expect to receive normal average rainfall in winter, not exaggerated as we've seen during the summer and autumn."

Dr Taschetto is an Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow at UNSW Science's Climate Change Research Centre, as well as a chief investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes.

IN PICTURES: Fire, snow and floods: The weather extremes of 2020

She said the weather system La Niña usually brings more tropical cyclones, but that was not the case over summer.

"But there were a lot of tropical lows, which are less intense weather systems that can bring significant amounts of rain for northern Australia, and that's what happened this season," Dr Taschetto said.

"Another effect of La Niña around Australia is marine heatwaves. Marine heatwaves are extreme ocean temperature events that persist for several days, sometimes months, and can develop due to La Niña in areas like the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.

"These events have massive impact for marine ecosystems, and coastal communities dependent on economic activities such as fishery and oyster farmers.

"The impacts of La Niña and El Nino reverberate across the globe," Dr Taschetto said.

Australia is now moving back towards El Nino which means more dry weather is forecast.

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Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has retracted a comment calling former staffer and alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins a "lying cow" and agreed to pay damages.

In a statement, Senator Reynolds said she never intended for the comment to be made public and acknowledges the hurt it may have caused.

The apology is part of a defamation settlement, with costs to be paid in full to a charity that supports victims of sexual assault.

READ MORE: Brittany Higgins makes formal statement to police about alleged rape at Parliament House

"On Friday 5 March 2021, I publicly apologised to Ms Brittany Higgins about the comment about her to my staff on 15 February 2021," Senator Reynolds said in the statement.

"I wish to further address that comment that I made. I did not mean it in the sense it may have been understood.

"Given that the comment was made public, which I never intended, I also want to retract it and unreservedly apologise to Brittany Higgins and acknowledge the hurt and distress it caused to her."

READ MORE: Allegations of rape continue to haunt government

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Ms Higgins was allegedly raped by another Liberal staffer in Senator Reynolds' office in March 2019.

The incident is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police.

In a statement, Ms Higgins said she was pleased with the outcome and spoke of the "immensely challenging" period after she went public with her story.

"I am pleased that the Minister has now withdrawn her comments and I accept her apology to me," Ms Higgins said.

"This has been an immensely challenging period for me and I wish to reiterate that the only reason I have chosen to come forward is to help others.

READ MORE: 'Deeply sorry': Linda Reynolds apologises to Brittany Higgins

"Finally any monies I have received from the Minister as part of the settlement of my claim against her (over and above my legal costs) will be paid in full to an organisation that provides counselling and support to survivors of sexual assault and abuse in the Canberra area.

"These funds will assist them in this important work."

Senator Reynolds is currently on medical leave on the advice of her cardiologist.

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