Second teen charged with murder of Brisbane mother Emma Lovell pleads not guilty

The second teenager charged with the murder of Brisbane mother Emma Lovell, who was stabbed to death during a Boxing Day home invasion, has pleaded not guilty at trial.

It has been alleged that two boys – who cannot be identified as they were 17 at the time – broke into Ms Lovell’s house on Boxing Day evening in 2022.

The 41-year-old mother of two died after being stabbed in the heart on the lawn of her North Lakes home.

The trial of one of the teenage girls accused of his murder began in Brisbane Supreme Court today, but it is not being held before a jury.

The judges-only trial was ordered before the national election, following concerns that a political campaign on youth crime had prejudiced the jury.

The teenager responsible for the fatal stabbing pleaded guilty to murder earlier this year and is currently serving a 14-year sentence.

The Crown acknowledged that the accused in this trial did not commit any of the violent acts himself.

The boy’s defense lawyer, Laura Reece, told the court each of the offenses was based on the teenager’s knowledge of the knife and had to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

Judge Michael Copley will also have to consider whether there was a common purpose to cause harm.

Emma Lovell’s husband ‘fought’ with one of the teens

The court heard that the two teenagers met that day at a boys’ home, located on the same street as the Lovell home.

At some point that evening, the teens walked down the street toward the family’s property and discovered their door unlocked around 11:30 p.m.

The next moments were captured by Lovell’s security cameras, the court heard.

“The co-offender brought forward his hand, the one holding the knife, and appeared to place it directly in front of the accused’s face,” said Crown prosecutor David Nardone.

Mr Nardone said Ms Lovell and her husband Lee Lovell were awakened by the sound of their dogs barking.

Giving evidence in court today, Mr Lovell said when he opened his bedroom door he came face to face with one of the teenagers and another was in the living room.

Mr Lovell “struggled” with one of the teenagers – who the prosecutor said was the already-treated offender – in a bid to stop him before the struggle spilled onto the lawn.

Lee Lovell didn’t initially realize his wife had been stabbed

At some point during the Lovells’ struggle with the other teenager, Ms. Lovell was stabbed in the chest and Mr. Lovell was stabbed in the back.

Mr Lovell said he was kicked to the head and body by one of the boys, but he did not know which one.

He remembers seeing his wife sitting on the ground with her head between her knees, but he didn’t realize she had been stabbed until someone else pointed it out to him.

Mr Lovell said he also did not know he had been stabbed until one of the paramedics made the discovery.

Mr Nardone said audio would be played in court, which was captured by a neighbor’s security camera.

Ms Reece told the court that what is captured in CCTV footage is “useful”, but “sometimes difficult to draw a firm conclusion” about what is seen.

The case before Judge Michael Copley continues.