A teen who murdered a mother of two during a burglary has been sentenced to 14 years in youth detention after a judge found his offending was “particularly heinous”.
The teenager, aged now just over 19, faced Brisbane Supreme Court today for sentencing having earlier pleaded guilty to murder.
The teen also pleaded guilty to armed burglary at night while in company, committing a malicious act with intent and assault in company causing bodily harm.
Justice Tom Sullivan reserved his decision on sentencing for more than a week following submissions from the prosecution and defence.
The teen and another teenage co-offender were charged after Emma Lovell was fatally stabbed in her home north of Brisbane in 2022.
Police alleged the two boys, then 17 years old, broke into a North Lakes house and attacked Emma and her husband Lee about 11.30pm on Boxing Day.
The mother-of-two died after being stabbed in the chest while Lee was treated in hospital for a knife wound.
Justice Sullivan previously heard he could sentence the teen to a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment or up to 14 years if he found the crime to be “particularly heinous”.
Today, Justice Sullivan found the teen met this threshold due to his prior criminal history and making two attempts to stab Emma and Lee before landing the fatal blow.
“This offending was atrocious and would create outrage in the community,” Justice Sullivan said.
Crown prosecutor David Nardone previously said the teen stabbed Emma with such force the knife blade snapped.
Security footage previously played to Justice Sullivan showing the teen testing the front door and finding it unlocked before entering ahead of his accomplice.
The teen soon after engaged in a physical altercation with Emma and Lee while holding a knife.
The couple’s two teenage children, Kassie and Scarlett, were also sleeping in the house when the co-offenders broke in.
The teen stabbed Emma in the heart and Lee in the back, before kicking him several times in the head.
Justice Sullivan said the Lovells’ teen daughters were standing over their mother’s body sobbing when police and paramedics arrived and open heart surgery was performed on the front lawn in an attempt to save her life.
Defence barrister Scott Lynch previously said the teen grew up in a chaotic environment, exposed to domestic violence and finding his only close friend dead after he took his own life.
Justice Sullivan said the teen had an extensive but previously non-violent criminal history that included 16 break-ins.
“You were not placed in custody for any of those offences,” Justice Sullivan said.
Justice Sullivan said the victim impact statements had revealed a “devastating” impact.
“The Lovells were ordinary citizens enjoying family life in their home where they are entitled to feel safe. What occurred violated that completely,” Justice Sullivan said.
The teen will be required to serve at least 70 per cent of the detention order with credit for 500 days in custody on remand.
