MH17: Victim impact statements and calls for justice from families

They have fought for justice for their loved ones, they have given victim impact statements and on Thursday, November 17 many will be there for the murder trial verdict.

The trial has found a Russian owned surface to air missile brought MH17 down into eastern Ukraine. It killed 298 passengers and crew, including 38 Australian citizens and residents.

Since the downing of the civilian aircraft on July 17, 2014, Australian Federal Police family investigative liaison officers (FILO) have been there to support next of kin.

Two FILOs were designated to each Australia next of kin, and many of them, like Detective Sergeant Yvonne Crozier, are still there as a support eight years later.

"The first questions are how are authorities going to enter a war zone, and how are they going to recover their loved ones and their possessions? In the initial stage a lot of that was unknown," she said.

Bodies and debris from the plane had rained down across a war zone, and investigators had to negotiate with militia simply to access the site and retrieve remains and wreckage.

"Quite often in those early stages families are in shock and traumatised, and every family has a different appetite for information," Det Sgt Crozier said.

"Our role is to really guide them through what happens next."

FILOs are a single point of contact for next of kin and they travel across Australia to provide help and support face-to-face.

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They also guided families through the complicated justice system, and were a conduit to welfare agencies if required.

"They ensure all families receive the same information at the same time, and that they direct the family's questions back into the investigation so they get a point of truth for those families," Det Sgt Crozier said.

Judges will begin reading the verdict at 1.30pm on Thursday (11.30pm AEDT) at the high-security court next to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

During the murder trial, judges heard how the downing of MH17 had impacted next of kin, and family members were invited to submit victim impact statements.

Brian Clancy, from Singleton in NSW, attended the opening days of the trial with his wife Lisa in honour of his brother Michael Clancy and sister-in-law Carol Clancy. The couple also submitted a statement that was read to the court.

"To this day I feel emptiness, my brother and I did everything together," Mr Clancy wrote.

"I have not been able to open up, explain how the murder of Mick has shattered me. I just can't talk about it because it's too raw, and nobody can go anywhere near understanding the feeling of loss, anger, terror and helplessness that I continue to experience.

"I don't think I will ever be able to come to terms with this senseless act of mass murder."

Mrs Clancy addressed part of her statement to those responsible for bringing down MH17.

"To the persons responsible I want to say this to you. War is not a game, you murdered 298 innocent people who had nothing to do with your war. You took them away from their families and shattered our lives forever," her statement said.

"My wish is for you to be imprisoned for the rest of your life. For the world to know the shattered lives and great sadness you have caused and for the world to know you are criminals.

"I will never forgive you for making me feel sad for the rest of my life."

Sister Philomene Tiernan died in the MH17 tragedy and her sister Madeline Wright's victim impact statement was read to the judges.

"My dear older sister, my only surviving sibling blown to smithereens. A life taken in an instant, a one in a million chance," she wrote.

"I felt angry that she was on MH17, that she had chosen to fly from Amsterdam, not take her usual route back to Australia through London.

"I think of Phil every day. We lived in different cities, but Phil managed to attend significant family events. We saw each other often, [and] spoke weekly by phone.

"Since Phil's death I have not enjoyed flying, Phil is always beside me in the plane and life seems very fragile."