Cop killer Leigh Sushames sentenced to 40 years in jail after Constable Keith Smith was shot dead while trying to serve a repossession notice

By CHARLOTTE KARP, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 03:33, 26 June 2026 | Updated: 03:57, 26 June 2026 A man who killed a police officer while being served a repossession notice has been sentenced to 40 years' jail. Leigh Geoffrey Sushames, 47, was sentenced in the Supreme Court in Burnie, north-west Tasmania, on Friday over the fatal shooting of Constable Keith Smith, 57, on June 16, 2025. Constable Smith attended Sushames' property in North Motton to serve a repossession notice because he had not paid his mortgage for years. At a sentencing hearing in May, the court heard Sushames had been in contact with authorities the day before and knew they were coming. Footage from a body-worn camera worn by Constable Smith's partner, Sergeant Gavin Rigby, showed Sushames hiding behind a blue Ford Falcon in the carport and holding a rifle. 'How are you mate?' Constable Smith asked, before two gunshots could be heard. He died immediately and Sushames was taken into custody. In court on Friday, Justice Tamara Jago described the killing as a 'premeditated, intentional killing' of an officer who 'stood no chance against murderous intent'. Leigh Sushames told a friend he would 'kill anyone' who attempted to repossess his home, a court heard Constable Keith Smith (pictured) was shot in the back and head 'The callousness you displayed … is almost beyond comprehension for any person with a decent sense of morality,' the judge said. 'It is the gravest of criminal conduct.'  In May, the court heard Sushames stopped paying his mortgage because he believed God would 'sort it out'. Crown prosecutor Daryl Coates SC said Sushames had avoided contact with bank representatives who went to his home, prompting the courts and police to become involved. Mr Coates told the court that Sushames showed bank documents to a friend in 2024, saying words to the effect 'I will kill them or shoot them but nobody is going to take my house off me'. The friend believed it was a figure of speech, the court heard. Sushames had previously held a gun licence which was suspended in 2016 due to information police had acquired about his mental health. Mr Coates told the court Sushames had no relevant prior convictions and police had assessed the job as low risk. Constable Keith Smith's wife Janaha and daughter Ava are pictured at his funeral service at Paranaple Centre in Devonport 'He must have contemplated a violent confrontation,' Mr Coates said. 'There was nothing in the police conduct that would have caused him to become enraged.'   Sushames' lawyer Greg Richardson previously told the court his client did not know why he did what he did. He told the court his client had an abusive childhood, had intense religious beliefs and undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder. Sushames also experienced psychotic episodes as a result of using cannabis. 'He formed the belief that God was somehow going to intervene and sort out his mortgage problems,' Mr Richardson told the court. The incident was the first fatal shooting of an officer in Tasmania in more than 100 years. Constable Smith, who had served for 25 years, was farewelled with full ceremonial police honours and a street procession. The veteran officer was farewelled with full ceremonial police honours (pictured) In a statement to the ABC, Constable Keith Smith's  family, including his wife Janaha Smith and his family, said hoped he 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.' Sushames will be eligible for parole in 25 years. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.