This article contains references to suicide and domestic violence.A man who strangled his ex-girlfriend, destroyed her remains and then tried to stage her death as a suicide has been jailed for 28 years.Lachlan Young, 23, ignored a packed Ballarat courtroom, instead staring straight ahead as Victorian Supreme Court Justice James Elliott sentenced him on Tuesday.It was eight days into his trial before Young finally admitted he murdered Hannah McGuire on 5 April 2024 in a home they owned together at Sebastopol, 120km north-west of Melbourne.Young told prosecutors they had an argument and he followed McGuire into the bathroom, where he pushed her onto the ground and strangled her.

He then shoved her body into the footwell of her Mitsubishi Triton, drove it to remote bushland in nearby Scarsdale and set the vehicle alight.

A court sketch of Lachlan Young, who admitted murdering his former girlfriend, Hannah McGuire. Source: AAP / Paul Tyquin

As Young left the scene, he used McGuire’s phone to send messages to her mother, Debbie, claiming she was going to take her life.He then transferred $2,000 from McGuire’s bank account to her mother and $5,000 to himself.Young’s steps to deflect blame and stage the victim’s murder as a suicide were cold and calculated, Justice Elliott said.

“They were utterly disrespectful to the memory of Hannah McGuire,” the judge said.

‘Sense of entitlement’

Elliott noted the murder followed months of abusive, intimidatory and domineering behaviour from Young towards McGuire.She had taken out intervention orders against the 23-year-old and made complaints to the police, but he refused to accept she wanted to separate, the judge said.”There is no doubt you acted with a sense of entitlement,” he said.

“This is another case of a man using violence and his superior strength to murder a vulnerable woman who trusted him.”

For sentencing purposes, Elliott accepted Young did not hold an intention to kill McGuire when he strangled her, rather he had intended to cause really serious injury.But the judge found that it did not significantly reduce Young’s moral culpability, nor did his age, troubled upbringing and substance abuse issues.Elliott accepted he had ultimately pleaded guilty, which warranted some reduction in his sentence, but noted the case still went to trial.

Besides his plea, there was no real evidence of remorse for killing a vulnerable woman who was loved by so many, the judge said.

“The level of emotion and heartache you have caused … cannot be overstated,” Elliott said.

“[McGuire] was obviously a very special, warm, talented, giving and thoughtful person who lived her life with the interests of those around her at the forefront.”

‘Journey towards healing’

Hannah’s parents, Debbie and Glenn, were among the more than 80 people in the courtroom who turned and looked at Young as his 28-year jail term was announced.

There were gasps of “yes” but Young, dressed in all black, stared straight ahead at the judge.

Hannah McGuire’s parents, Debbie and Glenn, read a statement outside the Ballarat court after the sentencing hearing. Source: AAP / Con Chronis

Young will be eligible for parole after serving 22 years and four months.Outside the court, Debbie McGuire told reporters she was relieved her daughter’s killer had finally been sentenced.”While nothing can bring back what we’ve lost or erase the pain we continue to carry, today’s outcome is an important step in our journey towards healing,” she said.”We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our family, friends and the community for their unwavering support over the past 19 months.”We could not have made it through without any of you.”If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.Readers seeking crisis support can ring Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25). More information and support with mental health is available at beyondblue.org.au and on 1300 22 4636.

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