The father of one of Paul Denyer’s victims says he had the best night’s sleep he’s had in 30 years last night, after the Victorian government moved to keep the serial killer behind bars for life.

The Victorian government backflipped its position on naming Denyer in legislation to keep him in jail forever.

Brian Russell, whose daughter Natalie was killed by Denyer, says last night was “the first night in 30 years, I suppose, that I wasn’t afraid to open the paper and see Mr Denyer’s face staring at me”.

Press PLAY below to hear Brian Russell and Lisa — Natalie’s sister — reacting to the news

“We’ve done it,” Mr Russell told Neil Mitchell.