‘Bulls--t’: Outrage as teen behind horror hit-run crash sentenced

The devastated family of a pregnant couple killed in a horror hit-and-run crash has responded to the teenage driver’s sentence.

A teenager behind the wheel of a stolen 4WD that hit and killed a pregnant Brisbane couple showed no emotion upon learning he would spend 10 years in jail for the horrific deaths.

But angry murmurs erupted from the gallery upon learning the young man will walk free within six years, with one man saying it was “bulls--t” as court was adjourned.

Matthew Field and Kate Leadbetter were walking their dogs in Alexandra Hills on Australia Day last year oblivious to the horror that would unfold as they crossed the intersection.

Matthew Field and Kate Leadbetter were walking their dogs on Australia Day last year when they were killed after a stolen car struck them in Alexandra Hills.

After running a red light at speeds of up to 90kmh, the teenager ploughed into a tow truck, causing the stolen Landcruiser to roll through the air and strike the couple.

Mr Field, 37 and Ms Leadbetter, 31, were killed instantly.

Their unborn child, who would have been named Miles, also died.

The tragic deaths prompted an outpouring of grief across the state.

Queenslanders lay flowers at the scene where Mr Field and Ms Leadbetter were killed. Picture: Nigel Hallett

More than a year after the horrific deaths, the teenager on Wednesday fronted Brisbane Supreme Court dressed in a grey shirt and black pants to learn his fate for the horrific crash.

Because he was only 17 at the time of the offence, he cannot be legally identified.

Now 18, he was initially charged with murder but prosecutors on Tuesday accepted his plea to the lesser charges of manslaughter.

He also pleaded guilty to a raft of other property and traffic offences committed that same day.

That same day, devastated family members of Mr Field and Ms Leadbetter read from heartbreaking victim impact statements revealing the extent of their grief and sorrow at losing their beloved family members.

The teenager was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty at Brisbane Supreme Court to lesser charges of manslaughter.

A police officer on the scene of the fatal Alexandra Hills crash. Picture: Steve Pohlner

On Wednesday, the teen stood and stared ahead in the dock, showing little emotion when Justice Martin Burns delivered his judgment.

The court was told the teenager had spent the day consuming alcohol and smoking marijuana before wandering through the streets of Cleveland attempting to break into homes through the side gates.

Justice Burns said the teen managed to steal a Landcruiser from a house after 5pm, before dangerously driving through Brisbane for 20 minutes.

While driving, he was seen weaving through traffic, driving on the wrong side of the road, swerving and driving at “extreme” speeds of up to 100kmh.

Justice Martin Burns said shortly before the fatal crash the teenager was captured on dashcam challenging another driver to a race, before making “repeated crude hand gestures” to the other driver.

When the light turned green, he then sideswiped the car and drove off.

Justice Burns said the teenager drove at speeds of 90kmh when he approached the intersection of Finucane and Vienna Roads in Alexandra Hills.

Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field had crossed to the median strip when the teenager ran a red light, colliding with another vehicle and rolling through the air.

It was here the couple were struck and killed.

“Unlike the many road users and bystanders who rushed to the aid of Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field, you jumped out of the Landcruiser and ran away,” Justice Burns said.

The court was told the teenager was cornered at a nearby property after trying to steal another car.

“They found you lying on the ground crying,” Justice Burns said.

In weighing up his sentence, Justice Burns said no sentence he could impose would ever seem adequate considering the loss of life and the sorrow the teenager had caused.

Family members of Kate Leadbetter and Matt Field leave court on Wednesday after the teenager behind the wheel of the car that killed the pregnant couple was jailed for manslaughter. They did not speak to waiting media upon leaving. Picture: Richard Walker

“Words cannot do justice to the horror of what the footage played in court displays,” he said.

“Nor can words do any justice for the suffering you have caused to the families.”

The court was told the teenager had an upbringing marked by significant neglect and drug use.

Justice Burns noted he had started abusing drugs at age 12 and the lack of proper parental care caused him to be frequently absent from school and living with friends.

As a result, he spent time with other “disaffected, vulnerable” youths engaging in crime to obtain drugs and food.

Justice Burns noted the teenager had demonstrated genuine remorse and shame since going into custody.

The court was told he had taken steps to rehabilitate, including taking education courses and meeting with mental health doctors in detention.

Justice Burns jailed the teenager for 10 years on the manslaughter charges but ordered he be released after serving 60 per cent of the sentence.

The teenager will be eligible for parole in 2027.