A teenager acquitted of the home invasion murder of south-east Queensland woman Emma Lovell will be released from detention after being sentenced for lesser offences.
Late on Boxing Day in 2022, two teens broke into Ms Lovell’s North Lakes home through an open front door.
Ms Lovell and her husband, Lee, confronted the then-17-year-old boys inside the house before pushing them out onto their front lawn.
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During the struggle, one of the teenagers, who was armed with a knife, fatally stabbed the 41-year-old in the chest and also wounded and assaulted Mr Lovell.
He was jailed for 14 years in May after pleading guilty to several charges, including murder and malicious acts with intent, and has appealed his sentence.
In October, the second teenage boy, who was charged as a party to that offending, was found not guilty by a judge of the two most serious offences.
Instead, he was only convicted for burglary in company and assault occasioning bodily harm in company, because Justice Michael Copley was not satisfied the teenager knew his co-defendant had a knife.
Lengthy criminal history
On Wednesday, the now-19-year-old faced a sentencing hearing for those charges and almost 20 unrelated offences.
These included several counts of entering a dwelling with intent, stealing and unlawful use of a motor vehicle that took place in the months leading up to the Boxing Day home invasion.
Crown prosecutor David Nardone told the Supreme Court the teenager’s criminal history was lengthy.
“It’s dominated by property-related and dishonesty offences but includes the offences of violence,” he said.
The court heard the teen had previously breached court orders including probation, and had just been released on bail for similar offending on the day of the break-in.
Lasting fear
Reading his victim impact statement in person, Mr Lovell told the court the teenager’s offending had left him feeling afraid to be in his own home.
“I still wake up at night fearing that someone is in our house again, constantly checking the cameras to make sure,” he said.
The court heard the teen, who suffered cognitive impairments, had been neglected as a child and was exposed to family violence and drugs.
Justice Copley sentenced the teenager to 18 months in detention and recorded a conviction for three of the 21 offences, including those related to the Lovell break-in.
The 41-year-old was fatally stabbed in the chest. (ABC News)
With time already served, he was free to leave court.
Speaking outside court, Mr Lovell said the sentence handed down today was “hard to take”.
“It doesn’t feel like we have much of a justice system at all,” he said.