Breaking: Man who fatally shot officer Keith Smith sentenced to 40 years in jail

The man who shot dead Tasmania Police Constable Keith Smith has been sentenced to 40 years in jail for murder.

Leigh Geoffrey Sushames was sentenced on Friday by Justice Tamara Jago for the murder of a police officer in north-west Tasmania, on June 16, 2025.

Justice Jago described the murder as a "premeditated, intentional killing" of a police officer who "stood no chance against [Sushames'] murderous intent".

"He would not have had time to arm himself or take evasive action."

"The callousness you displayed … is almost beyond comprehension for any person with a decent sense of morality," Justice Jago said to Sushames.

"It is the gravest of criminal conduct."

Justice Jago ordered a non-parole period of 25 years.

Constable Smith was attending Sushames' North Motton property on that day to serve a repossession notice for his home, as he had not paid his mortgage in years.

In May, the Supreme Court in Burnie heard Constable Smith and Sergeant Gavin Rigby had been in contact with Sushames before that day, and he knew they were coming.

In Sergeant Rigby's body-worn camera footage, which was shown to the court, Sushames was crouched behind the bonnet of a car in the carport when they arrived.

"How are you mate?" Constable Smith asked before Sushames stood up and revealed his rifle.

Sergeant Rigby yelled: "He's got a firearm, get out of here", and fled.

Two gunshots about five seconds apart could be heard in the footage.

Crown prosecutor Darryl Coates told the court Constable Smith died immediately, and Sushames was taken into custody shortly after by Special Operations Group officers, who shot Sushames in the hand.

The court heard Sushames told officers to "come and kill me" during his arrest.

Mr Coates told the court at the time that the killing of Constable Smith "was little more than an execution".

Defence lawyer Greg Richardson told the court his client had indicated his intention to plead guilty in one of their first meetings in August 2025, which he did in January this year.

Sushames also pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault associated with the incident, and a range of weapons crimes, including possessing unregistered firearms, possessing firearms without the appropriate licence and possessing a silencer.

Sushames believed 'God' would take care of his mortgage, court heard

In sentencing, Justice Jago said Sushames' reasons for the killing were not entirely clear, but described "misplaced feelings of anger and resentment".

The court heard he knew his house was going to be repossessed as he had not been working or paying his mortgage for years, but that he said he believed God would take care of it.

Justice Jago said Sushames told police he "wanted God to get you out of the s*** you had put yourself in".

She said he had suffered mental health difficulties since he was a child, but that did not reduce his moral culpability.

The judge said Constable Smith's murder had a devastating effect on Tasmania Police as a whole and on those who were present that day.

She said Sergeant Rigby had been unable to return to work and "genuinely believed his life was going to end that day", and that he suffered from overwhelming survivor's guilt.

Justice Jago said Constable Smith's family's lives had been changed forever, and that their "powerful and moving" victim impact statements spoke of a devastating loss.

The judge considered whether a life sentence was required but decided against it, and highlighted that Sushames had pleaded guilty to his crimes and accepted responsibility at an early stage.

Family pay tribute to 'loving father, loyal friend'

In a statement, Constable Keith Smith's wife, Janaha Smith, and his family, said now the court process was complete, they hoped Keith could be remembered "for the man he was, not the way he was lost".

"Keith's legacy is that policing works best when it is grounded in community, trust and human connection. He carried these values into every part of his life," the statement said.

"That is how Keith should be remembered.

"Above all, he will be remembered as deeply loved."

The family thanked Constable Smith's policing family and the community for the support.

"Keith will always be remembered as a devoted partner, a loving father, son and brother, a loyal friend and a man who truly cared for others," they said.

'A lot of tears in the courtroom'

Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams said the jail sentence was an "important step in holding the offender to account".

"No sentence will ever make up for the fact that Keith was so cruelly taken from those who love him,"

she said.

Speaking after the sentencing, Commissioner Adams said there were "a lot of tears in the courtroom".

"Keith was simply doing his job. He didn't deserve to be treated and killed in such a senseless way," she said.

She said the murder had been "felt deeply across our organisation" and that Sergeant Rigby and Special Operations Group officers had been "extremely brave".

"It was a harrowing crime scene where one of your colleagues was a fallen officer,"

Commissioner Adams said.

Justice Jago noted that Sushames had displayed remorse, but when asked about it, Commissioner Adams said she was "not going to comment on the remorse of an offender who effectively executed a police officer".

"[Constable Smith] is a person who was just doing their job — a low-risk, routine job," she said.