Courtroom erupts in claps and cheers as Hannah McGuire’s accused killer sensationally changes his plea days into his murder trial

Hannah McGuire’s former boyfriend has pleaded guilty to killing her a week into his murder trial, sparking emotional scenes in the courtroom.

Lachlan Young admitted that he killed Ms McGuire, 23, on April 5, 2024, before driving her body to a remote location and setting the car on fire in Scarsdale near Ballarat in Victoria’s Central Highlands.

But he previously pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming her death was an unplanned and spontaneous incident.

Jurors did not sit on Thursday, but returned to the Victorian Supreme Court in Ballarat on Friday morning, where Young, 23, changed his plea to the murder.

‘Guilty,’ he replied as he stared straight ahead.

Justice James Elliott discharged the jury and thanked them for their time, as Ms McGuire’s family and friends sitting in the courtroom erupted into loud applause and embraced. 

The judge then asked the sheriffs to ‘take Mr Young back to the cells’.

Young will face a pre-sentence hearing at a later date.

Hannah McGuire’s young life was cut short on April 5, 2024

Lachlan Young changed his plea to guilty on Friday

Ms McGuire ended the relationship with her long-time partner Young a month before she died.

Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill previously told the trial that Young killed her when he realised their ‘controlling and turbulent’ relationship was over and that he would lose the house they had bought together.

After killing Ms McGuire, he then tried to stage her death as a suicide by sending messages to her mother from her phone.

Youn also sent himself messages from Ms McGuire’s mobile and transferred thousands of dollars out of her bank account.

Ms McGuire’s mother Debbie broke down while giving evidence during the trial, as she recounted the desperate messages she sent her daughter, fearing Hannah had taken her own life.  

She woke 3.40am on April 5, 2024 to a text purporting to be from Hannah, stating that she was sorry and she thought it was the right decision.

‘I tried messaging Lach but he doesn’t want anything to do with me now,’ the message shown to the jury continued.

‘Please check in on him – this is going to break his heart.’

Hannah McGuire and Lachlan Young bought a house together in Sebastopol before their relationship ended

Hannah McGuire’s body was found in a burnt out car in remote bushland at Scarsdale

Ms McGuire’s mum wept as cried as she read aloud some of her responses, telling the court the messages “didn’t feel right”.

Ms McGuire’s father, Glenn, also broke down on the witness stand as he recalled the last time he saw her daughter alive the night before her death, which was spent at the pub with her netball teammates.

The jury also heard how a local primary school was forced into lockdown after Young threatened to come to his ex-girlfriend’s workplace following their break-up.

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Hannah’s parents Debbie and Glenn McGuire both broke down while giving evidence during the trial