A man has been cleared of murdering a British woman during a burglary at her home in Australia.
Emma Lovell, 41, was stabbed after confronting two intruders in a suburb north of Brisbane on Boxing Day 2022.
A judge heard three days of testimony earlier this month and delivered his not guilty verdict Thursday.
The other man admitted to the murder earlier this year and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The trial, reserved for judges, heard it was accepted that the second defendant, who cannot legally be named because he was 17 at the time of the attack, had not stabbed anyone himself.
At issue was whether he knew his co-accused – also then 17 – was carrying a knife.
He previously pleaded not guilty to murder.
Ms Lovell, a mother of two, emigrated from Ipswich in Suffolk in 2011 with her daughters and husband Lee, who was also injured in the attack.
The couple confronted the intruders on the lawn of their home, after being alerted by the barking of their dogs.
The second defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had also pleaded not guilty to armed burglary as well as malicious acts and assault causing bodily harm to Mr Lovell, who received kicked and then stabbed in the back.
He was convicted of burglary and assault, but cleared of more serious charges, including the alternative charge of manslaughter.
The prosecution had argued he was responsible for Ms Lovell's murder because the two men intended to break into the house while armed and at risk of harm. in danger.
But the teen's defense team said there was no proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he had knowledge of the knife.
The case was heard by a single judge because the issue of juvenile delinquency was a key debate during last weekend's government election – and there were fears it could prejudice the jury.
The Liberal National Party swept to power in Queensland, with a campaign promising tougher sentences for juveniles under the slogan “adult crime, adult time”.
Judge Michael Copley remanded the man in custody, pending a pre-sentence report in early December.
Defense barrister Laura Reece told the court her client could soon be released, given he had been on remand since the incident almost two years ago.
