A man who brutally murdered a defenceless woman before running bloodied and armed through the streets of Sydney’s CBD has been jailed for a minimum of 33 years.

Mert Ney pleaded guilty to the stabbing murder of escort Michaela Dunn, 24, in a Clarence Street apartment on August 13, 2019.

The 23-year-old also admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for stabbing Lin Bo during his frightening rampage.

In the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Peter Johnson jailed him for 44 years with non-parole period of 33 years.

He found Ney was a dangerous man who had had gone into the city to murder a young woman, to use violence and to terrify people in a “cruel, brutal attack”.

Although he had yelled “Allahu Akbar” on the street and delivered the Islamic State salute, the judge found he was not a religious zealot and the crimes did not relate to terrorism.

Justice Johnson said Ney committed “grave crimes of violence” during the course of an extraordinary and tragic series of events starting with the savage murder of Ms Dunn.

“The emotional flatness of the offender as own expressions of his feelings about killing Ms Dunn did not support the existence of any real insight,” Justice Johnson said.

The judge, however, praised the bystanders who helped apprehend Ney despite placing themselves at risk.

“Despite the offender’s repeated pleas to be killed, he had in fact been captured by a courageous group of citizens who had come together for the single purpose of restraining the offender so as to bring his violent, terrifying and chaotic rampage to an end,” he said.

Because of Ney’s mental health issues, he rejected the Crown’s submission that he should be jailed for the rest of his life.

Ms Dunn’s sister, Emily, spoke outside the court after the sentence was handed down. She thanked the community for its support.

“Regardless of the sentence that was handed down today, nothing is going to bring Mickey back,” she said.

“I am not angry because there is no point of being angry. I am really, really frustrated. I am frustrated with the system.

“There were so many times they could have and should have stopped what happened on the day that Mickey died.”

-with AAP