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AAP
AAP
National
Rex Martinich

Teen murder accused tried to stop stabbing, judge told

A teen is standing trial over the stabbing death of Emma Lovell outside her home near Brisbane. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

A teen accused of murdering a woman during a home invasion can be heard trying to stop his cohort from carrying out threats to kill, a judge has heard.

Emma Lovell, 41, was stabbed to death on the lawn outside her North Lakes home, north of Brisbane, after midnight on December 27, 2022 during a home invasion allegedly carried out by two 17-year-old boys.

One of the youths this week pleaded not guilty to murder at the start of his judge-only trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

The youth also pleaded not guilty to armed break-in as well as malicious acts and assault occasioning bodily harm towards Ms Lovell's husband Lee.

Defence barrister Laura Reece on Tuesday told Justice Michael Copely her client could be heard on audio from a neighbour's security camera saying "nah, brah" in response to his teenage cohort telling the Lovells "I'll kill you".

"My client said 'stop, stop, stop', which is consistent with video of him running towards (the other teen)," Ms Reece said.

Lee Lovell
Lee Lovell was stabbed in the back after confronting intruders in his home. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

The audio was recorded on the front lawn of the Lovells' home after they woke to discover two intruders in the house and pushed them outside.

Ms Lovell was fatally stabbed once in the heart during the confrontation and Mr Lovell was stabbed in the back and kicked while on the ground.

The other teen charged over Ms Lovell's death pleaded guilty in March to her murder and in May was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment.

The prosecution finished presenting its case on Tuesday and the teen defendant on trial did not call witnesses in his defence or give evidence.

Crown prosecutor David Nardone told Justice Copely the defendant was responsible for Ms Lovell's murder as he took part in the break-in while knowing his cohort had a knife and serious injury or death was a possible consequence.

Mr Nardone said security camera footage taken from the Lovell's front door showed the other teen "confirming he had the knife or even offering the knife" to the defendant before he entered the home.

"It was centimetres from his face ... seeing it was unavoidable … the very moment the knife is presented a light appears to emanate from a mobile phone held by (the defendant)," he said.

Ms Reece said the Lovells' front door camera was operating in infra-red mode at the time and the scene would have appeared much darker to human eyesight.

"At most (my client) might have had a knife in his peripheral vision for a short period of time. I say he was looking at his mobile phone," she said.

Ms Reece was due to finish her closing address on Wednesday.

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