A mother has confronted her daughter’s killer in court, saying she will never forgive him for taking away her vibrant and courageous girl.
Lachlan Young, 23, did not look at Hannah McGuire’s mother, Debbie McGuire, as she read her statement in the Victorian supreme court on Monday.
“I hope every day for the rest of the accused’s life, he experiences the most intense pain imaginable,” Debbie said, staring down at Young.
“I will never forget and I will never forgive.”
Young initially denied he murdered his former girlfriend, claiming her death in April 2024 was a spontaneous incident.
Hannah McGuire, 23, had taken out intervention orders against Lachlan Young and was separating from him when he killed her, the court heard. Photograph: GoFundMe
But eight days into his supreme court trial, he pleaded guilty to murder.
Young now admits he strangled Hannah in the bathroom of their Sebastopol home at about 2.30am on 5 April.
He then shoved her body into the footwell of her Mitsubishi Triton, drove it to remote bushland and set the vehicle alight.
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As he left the scene, Young used Hannah’s phone to send messages to her mother, Debbie, claiming she was going to take her life.
He then transferred $2,000 from Hannah’s bank account to her mother and $5,000 to himself.
When Debbie went to Young’s house in a panic, he claimed he had not seen her daughter and feigned surprise at the messages.
After he was arrested on 7 April, Young told officers he would “never fucking harm that girl”.
But crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill told the court the lies and the murder came after months of controlling and abusive behaviour.
Hannah had taken out intervention orders against Young and was separating from him when he killed her, Churchill said.
Debbie said she would have to live with the profound grief, pain and loss for the rest of her life.
“Unlike the accused, Hannah mattered,” she said.
“She was important and loved and brought to this world things no one else could.”
Hannah’s father, Glenn McGuire, told the court he could never escape his grief, knowing he was meant to protect his daughter.
“I was supposed to be there to guide her and to support her to grow into the incredible woman she was becoming,” the statement read.
“Instead, I had to bury her. I had to pick out a coffin instead of a graduation or a wedding dress.”
Glenn McGuire said he could never escape his grief, knowing he was meant to protect his daughter. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
Hannah’s aunt, Michelle Smith, broke down as she confronted Young, saying her heart was shattered into pieces.
“[Young] sat at our Christmas table and received gifts from us,” she told the court.
“I’m angry I treated him decently.
“I’m angry that because of him I will never spend another Christmas with Hannah, I will never be able to wish her another happy birthday.”
Fifteen statements were read to the court from Hannah McGuire’s family and friends on Monday, with Young’s barrister, Glenn Casement, then to plead his case before Justice James Elliott
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In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
