The man responsible for the death of a 26-year-old woman, whose body was found in a garden bed at a park in northern Brisbane, could be released from prison before Christmas.

Bradley Scott Edwards, 38, was sentenced on Friday for the manslaughter of Ioli Hadjilyra.

Council workers were clearing broken glass at the park when they discovered Ms Hadjilyra’s body in September 2019.

“The workers went further, only to make the traumatic discovery of Ms Hadjilyra’s body, partially clad, lying in a garden bed,” Justice Susan Brown said in her sentencing on Friday.

“Leaving her alone as if she was worthless. She was not. She was somebody’s daughter, sister, and she was loved.”

An autopsy revealed she had suffered several injuries, which her friends said were not present when they saw her earlier on the day of her death.

A search of CCTV footage from the park led police to Edwards, who was homeless at the time.

When he was arrested nearly two weeks later, he told police he couldn’t remember what had happened because he was high on methylamphetamine at the time.

The two had met through mutual friends earlier in the day.

“It was a chance meeting with you that night,” Justice Brown said.

Edwards told Ms Hadjilyra he had drugs, and she agreed to go with him to get them.

They took the train to Eagle Junction station.

A man passing the pair on their walk to the park overheard Ms Hadjilyra telling Edwards she was “scared to go down the pathway” where he was going.

The witness said Edwards reassured her that it would be okay and that she shouldn’t worry.

“At some point, you attacked Ms Hadjilyra, in what appears to be an unprovoked attack on a woman that is much smaller than you are,” Justice Brown said.

The court heard Ms Hadjilyra weighed less than 50kg at the time of her death and that Edwards would have towered over her.

‘You will have to carry it all of your life’

An autopsy report revealed she had suffered several injuries, including to her mouth and nose.

The court heard it could not be concluded what caused her death, with a coroner identifying three possible causes, including smothering, neck compression and drug toxicity.

Justice Brown said while methylamphetamine may have contributed to Ms Hadjilyra’s death, “[Edwards’] acts caused her death”.

“Further medical evidence, however, supported the fact that even with the amount of methamphetamine in Ms Hadjilyra’s system, she may have suffered a cardiac arrhythmia caused by the combing effect of extreme stress, including restraint and possibly impairment of breathing,” she said.

Edwards was charged with murder in 2019, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this week, on the day he was set to stand trial.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Hadjilyra’s father Michael said not a day had gone by where he hadn’t thought of his daughter and the way she died.

Edwards’ defence barrister said he had made progress while in prison and had written a letter to the court, acknowledging and apologising for the pain he caused the Hadjilyra family.

“No sentence that I can impose on you today can heal the pain of the Hadjilyra family, nor can it ever be enough for the family,” Justice Brown said.

“They will have to carry with them for them the rest of their lives, what you did that night. You will have to carry it all of your life.”

Edwards was sentenced to nine years in jail, but eligible for parole after serving four years and three months.

With time already served, he will be eligible to apply for parole on December 9.