Australian sentenced over break-in that killed UK woman

A man who was cleared of murdering a British woman during a break-in at her home in Australia has been sentenced to 18 months detention for burglary and assault in relation to the case.

Emma Lovell, 41, who emigrated from Ipswich, was fatally stabbed after confronting two intruders in a suburb north of Brisbane on 26 December 2022.

One of them has been jailed for murder, and the other, who was 17 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, was acquitted of the murder charge but was convicted of burglary in company and assault occasioning bodily harm in company at the Supreme Court of Queensland.

The teenager, now 19, has been sentenced but was released from detention having been on remand for nearly two years, ABC in Australia reports.

Another teenager admitted murder earlier this year in relation to the break-in and was jailed in May this year for 14 years.

Ms Lovell's best friend, Christina Lofthouse, told the BBC: "I feel sad that justice really hasn't been served for Emma and that her family are having to deal with this.

"Even more so that the other one is taking it to the appeal court next month as they believe the sentence is too long."

Mother-of-two Mrs Lovell left Suffolk in 2011 with her daughters and her husband Lee, who was also injured in the attack.

The latest sentencing hearing was told by prosecutor David Nardone that the second teenager's criminal history was lengthy.

The previous judge-only trial heard the defendant, who suffered cognitive impairments, did not stab anyone himself, but had just been released on bail, in connection with unrelated offences, on the day of the break-in.

In sentencing, Judge Michael Copley recorded a conviction for three of 21 offences including those related to the Lovell home break-in.

Mr Lovell said he felt "pretty let down" following the sentencing, reported Channel 9.

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