He claimed to have been unhappy with the legal advice he was receiving.
During the high-profile and complex trial, Fawcett, who has a British bulldog tattooed on his face, conducted his own defence, with assistance by Ruane acting as an amicus curiae.
Fawcett stood in court and claimed police had pressured and "coached" him into making false confessions.
He denied having anything to do with her death.
Miss Manning had been working on the night of December 18, 2008, when she was picked up at her usual spot at Christchurch's red light district in what the Crown alleged had been a pre-planned and well-organised hit by the Aotearoa chapter of the Mongrel Mob where Fawcett would earn his gang patch.
She was driven the short distance to the Mob's pad at Galbraith Ave where she was raped, then beaten and stabbed.
The Crown contended that mobsters, including Fawcett, dumped her naked body in the Avon River.
At sentencing on May 1 this year, Justice David Gendall agreed that the attack by Fawcett, and several mobsters armed with weapons, against a defenceless and slightly built 45kg woman displayed "a high level of brutality, depravity and callousness".
"You have shown no remorse at all Mr Fawcett."
The police investigation into Miss Manning's death remains open.
Miss Manning's brother Rob said that while the appeal comes as no surprise to the family, it's another blow.
"He's made the court process as difficult as he can the whole way through," he said.
"This has been going on for years. He just keeps rubbing it in the family's face.
"He has no remorse for what has happened. It's the ultimate really. He had no remorse during the case, and obviously still has no remorse now."
Mr Manning said he has spoken with police in recent weeks, but has not heard of any significant news as yet.
