Queensland’s Attorney General, Deb Frecklington, is appealing to the high court to increase the sentence for the murderer of Emma Lovell. Lovell was stabbed to death during a home invasion by two teenagers on Boxing Day in 2022, which sparked a statewide debate about youth crime. The case came to a forefront during the trial of one of the teenagers involved, who cannot be named as they were 17 at the time of the offense. This teen was convicted of murder in 2024 and sentenced to 14 years in prison, with a non-parole period set at 70% of their total sentence, the maximum possible under state law for a child.
The Queensland Supreme Court’s Justice Tom Sullivan had found the murder “particularly heinous” to meet the legal standard required for sentencing children to more than 10 years in prison. In August, the court of appeal upheld this finding and the 14-year sentence unanimously. However, two of the three judges found “special circumstances” that justified a shorter non-parole period, citing the teen’s guilty plea, remorse, and prospects for rehabilitation. Consequently, they reduced the non-parole period by about 18 months to 60%.
Frecklington announced on Monday that she would seek special leave from the high court to appeal this judgment, arguing that the “special circumstances” did not exist. She stated her commitment to seeking harsher sentences and reassured Emma Lovell’s husband, Lee Lovell, of the government’s dedication to ensuring accountability for the offender. The teenager was charged before the introduction of the state government’s “adult crime, adult time” laws, which would have mandated a minimum sentence of life in prison with a lengthy non-parole period. The government has acknowledged that these laws could violate human rights and discriminate against children based on age.
The second teenager involved in the home invasion was found not guilty of murder, manslaughter, and malicious act with intent but was convicted of burglary and assault. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison but released with time served.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/sep/15/emma-lovell-murder-queensland-to-appeal-teen-sentence-high-court-ntwnfb
