Australian man who murdered his son and son's girlfriend 'pure twisted evil', court hears

Chelsea Ireland and Lucasz Klosowski. Photo / Supplied

A South Australian man who shot and killed his teenage son and his son's girlfriend last year has been labelled "pure twisted evil" in court.

Lukasz Klosowski, 19, was shot and killed along with his girlfriend, Chelsea Ireland, also 19, after going to visit Pawel Klosowski on his property at Mount McIntyre in the state's south-east early last year.

In November 2020, Klosowski pleaded guilty to both of their murders.

The Adelaide Supreme Court was brought to tears as the victim's relatives, including Ireland's parents and sister and Klosowski's mother, spoke of their grief at a pre-sentence hearing today.

More than 60 relatives and friends of the young victims attended the hearing.

Magda Pearce remembered her son as a kind, funny, brilliant young man who had "unlimited potential" and was an incredible brother.

"The only greater pain is knowing the man who helped create that precious child with me was also the man who took his life away," she said.

"Seven months on and it still doesn't feel real that Chelsea and Lukasz are gone. It feels at times like a nightmare that I struggle to wake up from."

She said she hoped the judge handed Pawel Klosowski the highest possible sentence.

"You have proved your jealousy and lust for revenge knows no bounds. I cannot forgive you."

Pawel Klosowski. Photo / Supplied

Chelsea's father Greg Ireland cried as he told the court his best friend had been stolen from him.

"My heart has been shattered. My soul has been ripped apart," he said.

"The night the two police constables knocked on my door is every parent's worst nightmare and is permanently etched in my mind."

Ireland said he was unable to sleep or concentrate at work, and had anxiety seeing others who weren't in his immediate family.

He said the many unanswered questions he had about the night of the murder "haunted" him, including how the victims would have felt at the time; if his daughter witnessed her boyfriend being shot before locking herself in the bathroom and calling police; and what happened for the accused to feel such rage.

"What would I say about the most pathetic, gutless individual? Nothing – you're not worth wasting any time on.

"You callously, gutlessly killed two beautiful, defenceless kids.

"I believe none of this would have happened if you'd taken the time to see Chelsea's inner beauty and loved Lukasz as much as I did."

Debra Ireland said the loss of her daughter had an "excruciating" toll, making her life feel like "a horror story".

She described her daughter as the glue that held her family together.

"I fear the three of us can't get through this nightmare," she told the court.

"My heart breaks a little more every time I see the pain in Greg's face and how much Maddy misses her sister.

"She's left a gaping hole in a lot of people's hearts. The loss is too great."

Taking aim at the accused, Ireland said could never forgive him and held him "fully responsible".

Their daughter Maddie told of her fear of leaving the house in case something happened to her.

She said her anger was "astronomical" and she could no longer trust anyone.

"I miss my sister so much I get the urge to go … and be with her," Maddie said.

"I have a life sentence of confusion, unhappiness and loneliness.

"To the accused … you will rot in the fiery pits of hell and you will never know happiness."

Pawel Klosowski, dressed in a suit and black glasses, looked emotionless as numerous victim impact statements were read in court.

The accused, also known as Paul, shot the young couple about 11.30pm on August 22 following a family gathering, witnessed by two of his stepchildren.

Kos Lesser, for the prosecution, said Klosowski was triggered the night of the double murder over an argument he had with his son.

The court heard the accused was "angered and intoxicated", and grabbed his gun from a locked cabinet.

After loading it, he aimed and shot twice at his son, who was about 1.2 metres away from him.

Klosowski then reloaded and shot two bullets at the bathroom door, where Chelsea Ireland had locked herself inside and called police.

She, like her boyfriend, was killed by the second bullet.

According to the prosecution, Pawel Klosowski had a blood alcohol reading of 0.22 by 11pm.

Lesser said Klosowski had spoken to three medical professionals and expressed no apology or remorse.

Nick Vadasz, for the defence, said his client accepted the "horror" of his actions and understood the "hatred" expressed in the victim impact statements.

He said his client first began drinking about 9.30pm that night and alcohol played a "significant part" in the offending.

When Klosowski later apologised to the court, friends and family of the two victims stood up and walked out of the court room, re-entering only when he had finished speaking.

Klosowski cried as he apologised "for taking two beautiful lives".

He told the court he loved his son and thought of the two victims every day.

"I killed them," Klosowski told the court.

"They were two wonderful people who were clearly destined to live happy and worth off [sic] lives.

"I destroyed the lives of their family and many other people.

"I acted like a monster. The world would be a better place if I shot myself instead."

Tributes flowed for both Lukasz Klosowski and Chelsea Ireland in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Ireland had studied mechanical engineering at the University of Adelaide, while Klosowski studied journalism.

Ireland was remembered by her family as a "compassionate and selfless" daughter and sister who had "great plans that would change the world".

"The man who was a father turned murderer did not know him or love him.

"If he had, he would not have [unleashed] such a pure twisted evil upon him and his beautiful girlfriend."