Australia

An Australian teenager received a 14-year jail term for the manslaughter of a British woman during a home invasion on Boxing Day.

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Emma Lovell, 41, was stabbed by a 17-year-old boy in the Australian state of Queensland in 2022.

The teen pleaded guilty to several charges including murder and hateful act with intent, according to ABC News.

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The Australian Supreme Court was informed that the now 19-year-old defendant was accompanied by another teenager during the incident. The companion also faces charges but has not yet entered a plea.

Justice Tom Sullivan told the court, “It is correct to describe the offence in this case as atrocious and one which would create a sense of outrage in the general community. The Lovells were ordinary citizens enjoying their family life in their home where they were entitled to feel safe."

"What occurred … violated that entirely."

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He further said, “You killed Mrs Lovell, you thereby exposed Mr Lovell and his two daughters and others to the trauma of the aftermath of that violence."

The judge ruled that teenager serve a minimum of nine years and nine months in prison before being eligible for parole.

After the verdict, Widower Lee Lovell said he did not feel like justice had been served.

He told reporters, “10 years in jail is more than I thought it was going to be. I suppose it was good to get 14 years, but it will never be enough. It's never going to bring Emma back."

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The tragic death of Mrs Lovell triggered widespread condemnation in Queensland. It was one of several high-profile crimes that likely contributed to the state's stricter youth crime laws introduced in 2023.

Notably, these laws now make breaching bail conditions a criminal offense for minors in Queensland.

Children as young as 15 can also be fitted with GPS trackers, and the courts now have the authority to declare youths as serious repeat offenders in certain circumstances.

(With inputs from agencies)