Teen charged over accused killing of Universal Store co-founder could become first juvenile tried under tough youth crime laws

The teenager charged over the accused killing of Universal Store co-founder Greg Josephson could become the first juvenile to be tried under the Crisafulli government’s tough youth crime laws.

Greg Josephson founded the Universal Store with his brother in 1999. The pair would later sell the business in a deal reportedly worth $100m.

A 15-year-old Brisbane boy who allegedly killed Universal Store co-founder Greg Josephson may be the first juvenile to be charged with murder under tough “Adult Crime, Adult Time” youth crime laws, introduced by the Crisafulli government.

The teenager, who police say knew Mr Josephson but cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder after the 58-year-old was found dead after allegedly being stabbed in his hilltop mansion on Thursday night.

The murder has shocked Brisbane’s business and private school community, with the murder occurring around the time 30 teenagers, many of whom were from elite schools, attended a party at the six-bedroom home in the inner-north suburb of Clayfield.

On Sunday, police were seen searching the property for evidence, with officers spotted looking into a pick-up truck and garage at the home.

Police were also seen conducting searches at a cafe in nearby Ascot on Friday night.

CCTV obtained by The ­Courier-Mail newspaper showed the accused teen at the cafe before his arrest, walking across a patio area and squeezing his way into a narrow rubbish area at the back of the venue.

The stabbing murder of Universal Store co-founder Greg Josephson has rocked Brisbane’s business community. Picture: Marcus de Blonk Smith

He was arrested by officers in a nearby street about 8:15pm on Thursday after he phoned triple-0.

It is not publicly known when Mr Josephson was stabbed or died, with police declining to answer questions about the timing of the events.

The teenager’s case was briefly mentioned in Brisbane’s Children’s Court on Friday. He did not appear, with the court told he had been taken to hospital with minor injuries. The matter was adjourned until September 2.

The teenager could become the first juvenile to be tried under the tough youth crime laws, a centrepiece of the Liberal National Party’s election campaign ahead of their October state election win.

The first tranche of the laws was introduced in December, and is supposed to ensure juveniles face the same punishment as adults on certain offences, including murder.

On Sunday, Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said he couldn’t “comment on specific matters” before the court but said he was “rightly shocked”.

“We promised Queenslanders we would have making Queensland safer laws in place before the end of last year,” he said.

“We’ve done that.”

A second tranche of “Adult Crime, Adult Time” laws passed Queensland parliament in May, with 33 youth crime offences captured under the legislation.

Mr Bleijie said it would take some time for victim numbers to decrease across the state. “We won’t see a remarkable increase or decrease in victim numbers overnight, but I think the green shoots are starting to show in our community despite the fact that we’re still seeing tragic circumstances,” he said. “It’s certainly going to take a long time to see a change in the 10 years of weakening Youth Justice laws under the previous Labor government, but we’ve shown that we are putting police resources in … and the laws that allow police to do their jobs.”

CCTV vision of the person who allegedly stabbed businessman Greg Josephson. Picture: Supplied

Mr Josephson, who graduated from Griffith University in 1987, founded the Universal Store with his brother Michael in 1999.

He later sold the business to private equity investors in a dealt reportedly worth $100m.

The company expressed its condolences on Friday in a statement, saying it was “deeply saddened to share the news that Greg Josephson, our company’s founder and a key figure until 2018, has recently passed away. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with his family during this incredibly difficult time.” Prior to founding the Universal Store, Mr Josephson spent 12 years working in leasing, with roles at Jones Lang LaSalle, Lendlease and Westfield, and went on to amass a multimillion-dollar property portfolio, including the $13.9m Noosa Reef Hotel on the Sunshine Coast and a $3.5m group of boutique cottages in the Noosa hinterland.

He attended the private Catholic school St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace. Its principal, Michael Carroll, on Friday messaged families informing them of the incident.

“It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the death of a member of our St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace community,” he wrote.

“We express our sincere condolences to the man’s family.”