Media barred from court as teen accusd of Alexandra Hills crash murders faces new charges

Media were barred from the Queensland courtroom where a teenager charged with murdering a pregnant couple in a car crash fronted court on eight new charges.

A teenager accused of the murder of a pregnant couple following a fatal crash north of Brisbane has fronted court after police laid eight additional charges against him.

Media were not permitted to report on proceedings in Brisbane Childrens Court on Monday when the teenager’s matter was briefly mentioned.

The teenager faced Brisbane Childrens Court on Tuesday just a week after being charged with eight other offences related to the fatal Alexandra Hills crash.

Police allege the Waterford West teenager, 17, was behind the wheel of a stolen 4WD which struck Kate Leadbetter, 31, and her partner Matty Field, 37, while they were walking their dogs at Alexandra Hills on Australia Day.

Last week, the teenager was charged with another eight offences, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, wilful damage, driving while disqualified and failing to fulfil duties at the scene of a traffic crash.

The new charges are in addition to two counts of murder and burglary and one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Mr Fields and Ms Leadbetter were killed when the allegedly stolen 4WD ploughed into them while they were walking their dogs on Australia Day.

Ms Leadbetter was pregnant with the couple’s unborn son, Miles, at the time she died, but police announced last Tuesday the teenager would not face an additional charge of murder.

The death of the unborn baby will instead be presented as an aggravating feature of Ms Leadbetter’s alleged murder.

On Monday, prosecutors and the teen’s defence lawyer opposed applications by the media to sit in and report on the proceedings.

Officers at the scene of the fatal crash where Mr Fields and Ms Leadbetter were killed on January 26. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Under Queensland law, media are not permitted to report on Children’s Court matters unless specific exemptions are made.

Magistrate Rosemary Gilbert refused an application made by media outlets and the matter proceeded in a closed courtroom.

The teenager will next appear in court on March 24.

Police had indicated they would pursue an additional charge of murder relating to the death of the unborn baby Miles, but Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd last week said legal experts had advised the killing of an unborn child is not available under the provisions of the criminal code.

The fatal crash provoked outrage over Queensland’s youth crime penalties and bail laws, following revelations of the boy’s unenviable criminal history.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced an overhaul of the state’s youth crime laws in the wake of the couples’ death.

“It is absolutely heartbreaking and I know every Queensland family out there feels for the tragic loss of these people,” she said of the couple’s death.

“Families have been shattered and lives have been lost. And that is why we are taking very strong action.”