In a heartbreaking scene at the courthouse yesterday, Debbie and Glenn McGuire, parents of the late Hannah McGuire, were overwhelmed with emotion as they heard the sentencing of Lachlan Young. Young, Hannah’s former boyfriend, was sentenced to 28 years in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of 22 years and four months, for the murder of their daughter following a prolonged period of abuse.

In the wake of the sentencing, Mrs. McGuire expressed her feelings about the decision, describing the sentence as “out of proportion” and expressing a profound sense of “heaviness.”

Mrs. McGuire did not hold back in her criticism of Young, labeling him as possessing “all the traits of a sociopath.”

“He shows a complete lack of empathy and seems to derive pleasure from manipulating and harming others,” she stated in a written comment.

She went on to describe Young as “calculating, impulsive, and dangerous,” adding, “He is a spoiled, selfish individual, a product of poor parenting, and utterly pathetic.”

“I hope that for the remainder of his life, he endures the most intense pain imaginable,” she concluded.

After initially pleading not guilty to murder, eight days into the trial Young confessed to killing Hannah on April 5, 2024 in a home they owned together at Sebastopol, 120km northwest of Melbourne.

A court heard he strangled his ex-girlfriend, destroyed her remains and then tried to stage her death as a suicide.

He then transferred $2000 from McGuire’s bank account to her mother and $5000 to himself.

Mrs McGuire disputed there were prospects for Young’s rehabilitation.

“Are you kidding me? He will never change. It’s who he is.”

Help is available from the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.