Christopher Hughes is sentenced after killing Jennifer Board in Townsville

Dear judge,

Christopher Hughes, the weight of your name carries the pain of a life cut short and the heartache that will live on forever. Today I stand before you to ensure that Jennifer’s memory lives on, not overshadowed by the darkness you have created. She is more than what you did to her.

This crime is a tragedy of your own making, Christopher Hughes. Or should I call you Chris? While she may be gone, I am, and I am a constant reminder of the life stolen from her. There are days when I struggle to find gratitude in the fact that I’m still breathing while Jen isn’t. I can’t help but compare her goodness to your heartless cruelty that took her from this world. She was a better person than most of us, her kindness and compassion in a world of darkness. Her light shone so brightly.

Since her death, the light that was once so bright within me has not only dimmed, but completely turned off. I was robbed. I am no longer a big sister, I am no longer a best friend, I have lost a bond that was formed over a lifetime. I didn’t know that life would only last 22 years.

The whole reason I’m here is to share the impact this crime has had on me, and it’s more than just a life taken. It’s my life, and it’s the lives Jennifer will never live. I will never see “Aunt Jennifer,” “40-year-old Jennifer,” “Mrs. Jennifer.” These titles were stolen from her, from me, from her family, her friends.

The dreams we shared, the adventures we planned, all killed by the callousness of a single moment in time, decided by you.

I can’t expect you to truly understand how I feel, walking down the aisle without your lifelong friend, your soulmate. Jennifer was more than just a sister; she was my confidant, my partner in every adventure, my source of strength. Each milestone in my life comes and goes, her photos grow older and the lines on my face deepen. They serve as a constant reminder of the dreams and shared experiences that will forever remain unfulfilled.

My life has changed forever and I am an empty shell of who I once was. How can this not affect me? The void left by Jennifer’s absence is immeasurable. The pain is not just a temporary wound that will heal with time; it’s a permanent scar etched into my existence. I will carry this pain and loss with me for the rest of my life.

Christopher Hughes, your actions have robbed me of the person I used to be, and I now carry a burden of grief that may never go away. The ripple effect of your crime extends far beyond the moment it occurred and affects every facet of my life, every emotion I feel and every decision I make.

The light in my world has dimmed and the joy that once fueled my days has been replaced with a deep sadness that never seems to fade. Life’s simple pleasures have lost their luster, and even the most mundane tasks now feel insurmountable.

I was Jennifer’s closest person, our lives were intertwined. Our calendars still synced, a cruel reminder of her absence. ‘Bicycle Insurance’ is published every 7th of the month, a stark contrast to the joy it once brought her. A joy that would get her killed.

Every article in the media puts me in a pit of despair. Just the mention of her name, a photo, a constant twinge of pain, a painful reminder of a future that will never be. Her death left me unable to drive on the same roads for months as the memories of that fateful day haunted me.

The city I once called home, littered with the pain, the memories that were ripped from me. What was once a place of comfort and connection has been transformed into a landscape of pain and sorrow.

Songs that once brought me joy are now bittersweet, their melodies tainted by the memories of the times we shared together. The pain has not only affected me, but has also driven a wedge within my family, especially my father, who we struggle to bear at the thought of her name.

The pain extends beyond my family; I have no connection. No one can compare to Jen and the friendship we shared. What’s the point if I’ve lost the most important thing in my life?

Learning to live without Jen has been a devastating challenge. I have nowhere to go and no one to talk to when I’m mad or upset or just want to talk. We spoke every day for almost 22 years of my life, and adjusting to life without her was unbearable.

The impact of this crime extends far beyond Jennifer’s life; it extends to every aspect of me, forever changed by one cruel act. Christopher Hughes, you have left a void that can never be filled, and a pain that may never go away.

Her face now haunts my thoughts with horrific scenes of what happened. I can’t escape the images of her last moments, the fear she must have felt and the pain she endured. I can’t remember any memories without seeing these images. Even the most cherished moments we shared are tainted by the brutal intrusion of those gruesome scenes. It’s like I’m trapped in a nightmare from which I can never wake up. These images have now become part of my life, an unwelcome companion to every thought. My mind was scarred by the incessant repetition of the horrors she experienced.

Jen’s death was neither a peaceful passing nor a tragic accident. It was a brutal, gruesome act that haunts my thoughts and dreams. I can’t sleep without reliving them every time I close my eyes. The torment she endured in those final moments is a burden I carry and a pain that never fades. One that you had to carry with me every night and every day.

There was no kindness in her death, there was no comfort, there was no comfort in the way Jennifer died. In her last moments she was confronted with cruelty, terror, mutilation and was completely alone. And you saw it.

I hope her last moments will be forever etched in your soul, as if they were my own.

The pain of those last moments plays again, and again in my thoughts. I am plagued by questions: Did she suffer? Did she ask about me? Why wasn’t I there to protect her? Yours.

These questions torture me, and I cannot escape the sadness I feel every day. When I got the call asking where Jen was, I knew. I knew deep in my soul that she was gone. I couldn’t imagine a life worth living without her, what are the sisters of the board without the sister. I tortured myself, I can’t bear to think about her.

Happiness feels like a distant memory and joy seems unattainable. How could I ever be the same? Every memory I have of her is now intertwined with the thought of you.

You claim to be an upholder of justice Chris, but your actions were anything but just. I don’t think I can think of anyone so inadequate. Not only did you fail, but you robbed the community of a smart and caring soul who had so much more to give. I cannot forgive someone so cruel, so disgusting, so heartless. You reject me.

Jennifer Margaret Board should be here today contributing to our community in ways you could never provide. Instead, her life was cut short and her potential stolen from her. All because of a choice you made. Our community doesn’t need more people like you, who bring pain rather than justice; they needed Jennifer.