Emma Lovell’s teenage murderer jailed for 14 years

A judge has revealed the callous act of a teenager who stabbed mother-of-two Emma Lovell through the heart, leaving her to bleed to death on her front lawn.

• Behind bars: Teen’s life exposed

The teenager who stabbed mother-of-two Emma Lovell through the heart, leaving her to bleed to death on her front lawn, laughed after police found him nearby, the judge who sentenced him to 14 years’ jail has revealed.

The sentence, with a non-parole period of nearly 10 years, is believed to be one of the highest given to a juvenile offender after Justice Tom Sullivan found the crime to be both violent and “particularly heinous”.

Mrs Lovell, 41, was killed at her North Lakes home on Boxing Day 2022 after two teenagers came through the front door intending to rob the family.

The teenager pleaded guilty in March to charges of murder, burglary by break-in while armed and in company, malicious act with intent and assault occasioning bodily harm.

During sentencing in the Supreme Court on Monday, harrowing details were heard about the night of the attack, including how Mrs Lovell’s teen daughters sobbed over her body and how the killer later laughed after he was arrested.

On the night of the attack, Mrs Lovell and her husband Lee were woken by the sound of their dogs barking and jumped from bed to find a teen outside their bedroom door.

The then 17-year-old, who cannot be identified under Queensland law, was carrying a knife with an 11.5cm blade.

Justice Sullivan said CCTV cameras at the Lovell home captured the couple, whose daughters were asleep metres away, shouting and swearing for the intruders to get out.

Emma Lovell

The court was earlier shown horrific footage of the couple wrestling the teens from their home, the violent scuffle spilling into their front yard.

Justice Sullivan said the teen thrust the knife at the couple several times before connecting with Mrs Lovell’s chest and piercing her heart.

The court heard he stabbed Mr Lovell in the back and then kicked him in the face more than once as he lay on the ground.

“Mrs Lovell can be seen on CCTV footage ultimately with a large bloodstain on her nightgown in the abdominal area,” Justice Sullivan said.

An injured Mr Lovell called emergency services while his wife lay unconscious and not breathing on the front lawn.

“Mr and Mrs Lovell’s two teenage daughters had, by that time, come out on to the front lawn and were standing over their mother’s body, sobbing,” he said.

Justice Sullivan said both teens were soon discovered hiding in a nearby house.

“The person who was residing at that location answered the door and lied to police about whether anybody else was located in the residence,” he said.

“The police, hearing noises inside the residence, entered the house and found you and another person in a bedroom where you were both under a blanket.

Lee Lovell with daughters Kassie and Scarlett outside Brisbane Supreme Court. Picture: Liam Kidston

“You originally told lies to police, including that you had slept until 9pm that night and said to the police, ‘my aunty lives in Zillmere, you go ring her, I’ve got a f---ing alibi from 9pm til now’.”

Justice Sullivan said both teens were arrested and taken outside.

“At one stage whilst detained outside that residence you began laughing,” he said.

“There had been no conversation with anybody immediately preceding the laughter.”

Acknowledging the teen’s plea of guilty to four offences – including murder – Justice Sullivan described the crime as “atrocious”.

“You murdered Mrs Lovell, you thereby exposed Mr Lovell and his two daughters and others such as police, paramedics and neighbours who tried to assist,” he said.

“The consequence of this act was the loss of an innocent woman’s life but also the production of a rippling traumatic effect on other innocent persons, particularly Mrs Lovell’s family.

“It is correct to describe the offence in this case as atrocious and one which will create a sense of outrage in the general community.”

The court heard the teen had had a troubled upbringing and had begun committing crimes after the death of his grandmother, who had been a stable influence.

Emma Lovell

Justice Sullivan said he had been convicted of 84 offences in the past, with 16 being unlawful entry or attempted entry and two of them happening while the owner was home. The court heard he had expressed sorrow for what he had done.

“One of the greatest consequences you had experienced had been the guilt and shame you felt you had subjected your family to, and the shame experienced by your family, caused by the portrayal of yourself in the community,” Justice Sullivan said.

Speaking outside court, Mt Lovell, whose birthday fell on the sentencing date, said no amount of prison time would bring back the wife he lost.

“I suppose it was good to get 14 years. But it’s never going to be enough, it’s never going to bring her back,” he said.

“I’d like to think that going forward this could help other people set a new precedent maybe. “It is still not how I want to spend my birthday, to be honest. I don’t feel justice is served one bit really.”

A second teen charged with Mrs Lovell’s murder is yet to enter a plea. A judge can sentence a child convicted of a serious crime more than the maximum of 10 years if the crime is found to be both violent and “particularly heinous”.

Originally published as Emma Lovell’s teenage murderer jailed for 14 years