Teen to be sentenced over deaths of Kate Leadbetter and Matthew Field

Harrowing footage has been played of a teen’s “reckless, aggressive and highly dangerous” driving in a stolen car, killing a pregnant woman, her partner and unborn child, as their devastated families have told him the only photos they will ever have of their unborn grandson are the ones taken at his autopsy.

A teenager who was behind the wheel of a stolen car that crashed into a pregnant woman and her partner as they walked their dog has buried his head in his hands as he faces devastated family members of the victims as he is sentenced at the Brisbane Supreme Court over their deaths.

The boy was driving a stolen Toyota Landcruiser on Australia Day last year when he crashed into a pregnant Kate Leadbetter, 31, and her partner Matthew Field, 37, killing them both.

Ms Leadbetter was pregnant with the couple’s unborn son, Miles when they were struck by the stolen four-wheel-drive at Alexandra Hills in Redland City.

Harrowing footage has been played to the court of the teen’s “reckless, aggressive and highly dangerous” driving, including the moment of the fatal collision.

The teenager was 17 at the time of the offending, meaning he cannot be identified under Queensland legislation.

Matt Field and Kate Leadbetter were hit and killed by a teen driving a stolen Toyota Landcruiser on Australia Day last year. Photo Supplied

The defendant, who is now 18, buried his head in his hands as devastated family members of the victims told the court how his actions changed their lives forever.

FAMILIES STARE DOWN TEEN KILLER

Matthew’s heartbroken father, Russell Field, said he was watching the 6pm news on the day of the crash when they heard a young couple had been killed walking their dogs and his wife said she had a bad feeling.

They tried to call Matt and Kate with no luck and three hours later their worst fears were confirmed when police arrived on their doorstep.

Mr Field tragically revealed the only photos they will ever have of their unborn grandson Miles are the ones taken at his autopsy.

“You took three beautiful precious lives that day,” he told the defendant.

He said his son was a wonderful child who was in the boy scouts and loved playing golf and football.

Mr Field directly addressed the defendant, telling him how his own son had worked for everything he wanted, including a car, rather than stealing it.

He urged the defendant to use every spare minute he had to picture the “souls you’ve taken” and “the misery you’ve caused”.

He said no sentence would ever be enough to bring back Kate, Matt and Miles, saying “ we will carry this burden to our grave”.

“I will never accept an apology,” he told the defendant.

Matthew’s mother Ann Field said she and her husband had a daily reminder of Kate and Matt as they now look after their dogs Frankie and Django.

She tragically revealed Django has been diagnosed with bone cancer and that she feared the day they lost him, saying it would feel “like losing another part of Matthew, like losing him all over again”.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Queensland Police Service Commissioner Katarina Carroll lay flowers for Kate Leadbetter and Matty Field. Picture: Richard Walker

“My life is hell, I wish with all my heart it would go back to normal and I had Matthew back with us,” she said.

She said her son was a fun loving boy who had loved climbing trees and riding bikes.

Mrs Field said Matthew was an amazing person, who was caring, gentle, kind and funny and “one of the most honest people I have ever known”.

She said Matthew loved entertaining and cooking for his family and friends and would often drop by and surprise her.

“Our family is no longer whole,” she said.

Mrs Field said her son found a “beautiful partner” in Kate and they were excited to become parents.

She said she would never wish the experience on another person and she hoped the defendant’s sentence would reflect his actions.

Jeannie Thorne said Kate had been her only child and was “the light of our lives” and “the hope for our future.

She said every happy memory of her daughter that once made her laugh now made her cry.

She said Kate would call every day and when she was around, the “successes were sweeter and the failures lost their sting”.

“We are lost without her,” she said.

“We will never see our girl again, never have a grandchild, our family is destroyed.”

Ms Thorne said Kate was so excited to become a mother and “her heart sang as she counted down to the birth of her baby boy”.

Supporters of the defendant and family members of Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field were at court for the sentence before Justice Martin Burns, which was due to start at 10am, but it was delayed after Justice Burns raised concerns about neither of the boy’s parents being present in court.

Flowers for Kate Leadbetter and Matty Field at the intersection of Vienna and Finucane Roads at Alexandra Hills. Picture: Richard Walker

TEEN’S DRUNKEN RAMPAGE

Crown Prosecutor Todd Fuller QC said on the day of the crash, the underage boy had been drinking at a licenced premises and left in a cab before stealing a Toyota Landcruiser from a Cleveland house while the owners were at home.

He said over the next 20 minutes, the defendant engaged in dangerous driving across several suburbs, travelling more than 100kmh in 50kmh zones, repeatedly driving on the wrong side of the road, weaving through traffic, mounting median strips, and ramming into a car.

Mr Field and Ms Leadbetter were out walking their two dogs Frankie and Django and were crossing Finucane Road at Alexandra Hills when the teen ran a red light, slamming into a tow truck which caused the Landcruiser to roll, striking the young couple.

Mr Fuller said the car landed on its wheels and the teen fled the scene, running to a nearby home where he attempted to steal another car.

He was caught by the owner who detained him and waited for police to arrive.

The prosecutor said the man who captured the teen noted he “had blood on his hands” and told him “I can’t do this anymore, I can’t do this anymore”.

When police arrived, they found the teen on the ground crying. He claimed others had been in the car but then changed his story, saying it had only been him.

Mr Fuller said the defendant was found with $5700 cash in his possession and said his intention had been to buy drugs with it.

The families of Matty Field and Kate Leadbetter and their unborn child Miles read a statement thanking the community for their support and thanked emergency services as well. Picture: Screen Grabs from Police Media

The teen has pleaded guilty to a dozen charges including two counts of manslaughter, dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He was originally charged with two counts of murder but prosecutors have accepted pleas to the lesser charges of manslaughter.

Mr Fuller said the defendant was under the influence of cannabis and his estimated blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was between .151 and .192 per cent.

The deaths of the young family sparked an outpouring of grief across the state.

Devastated family members of the young couple said their lives had been “shattered”.

“We are grief-stricken that they never got to experience the birth of their baby boy, who we discovered in recent weeks was to be named Miles,” their families said in a statement at the time.

“There is a nursery created by Kate and Matt with joy and love and anticipation, that our little grandson Miles will never occupy.

“Talented and funny and such good company, at the happiest point in their lives, about to embark on the thrilling adventure of parenthood.

“We were so looking forward to sharing that adventure with them.”

Justice Burns made an order requiring the teen’s mother to appear at court and has adjourned the case to allow her time to travel to the sentence hearing.

Originally published as Teen to be sentenced over deaths of Kate Leadbetter and Matthew Field