A teenager has been cleared of murdering a Suffolk mum who was stabbed to death during a Boxing Day break-in in Australia. 

41-year-old Emma Lovell was killed in North Lakes, Queensland, while fending off intruders in 2022.

Originally from Hasketon, Mrs Lovell lived in Ipswich with her husband Lee, and two daughters before the family moved to Australia in 2011.

Two teenagers were arrested accused of her murder following a break-in at their home on Boxing Day 2022.

One of the teenagers, who was 17 at the time of the attack, appeared before Brisbane's Supreme Court.

His trial was not held in front of a jury as it took place close to state elections. 

The prosecution argued that the accused “had knowledge at the time of the commission of all of the offences that his co-offender was in possession of a knife”, according to the judgment.

But Justice Michael Copley said he could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant knew his co-offender, “H”, was armed with a knife.

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The judge also found he could not be sure to the criminal standard that the man was “a party to this murder”, nor that he was a party to unlawfully wounding Mr Lovell or committing a malicious act with intent.

Mr Lovell was injured during a “physical struggle directly outside the front door” which then moved to the front lawn, where his wife was fatally stabbed.

He was found not guilty of the murder of Emma Lovell but was convicted of assault and found guilty of burglary.

The court heard Mrs Lovell and her husband Lee had attempted to fend off the intruders after they had been woken by their dogs barking at about 11.30pm.

Mrs Lovell died of a single stab wound to her heart and one man, who cannot be named as he was under 18 at the time of the attack, was jailed for 14 years after pleading guilty to her murder.