THE drunk, drugged and gun-wielding teen who took the life of Lewis McPherson on New Year’s Eve 2012 will spend at least 24 years behind bars and can be named for the first time.

A Supreme Court gallery packed with Mr McPherson’s friends and family gasped with relief and embraced as Liam Patrick Humbles was sentenced for his crime.

Humbles’ mother, meanwhile, erupted into howls of grief and had to be comforted by her husband as her son was led into the cell to begin his penalty.

SCROLL DOWN FOR ANALYSIS: Rare occurrence for this kind of suppression order to be lifted

In sentencing, Justice Michael David said there was nothing that could validly explain Humbles’ decision to carry a loaded .22 calibre handgun on his person the night he killed Mr McPherson and shot at his two friends.

“It was put to me ... that your reason for possessing a firearm was that you had it for protection against bullying — such a reason does not bear close scrutiny,” Justice David said.

“The concept that a young person might think they have to carry a weapon with them for self-protection is appalling, frightening, and has no place in our society.”

He said a psychological report showed Humbles had demonstrated little remorse and only slight insight into the impact of his offending on his family, Mr McPherson’s family and the community.

He jailed Humbles for life with a non-parole period of 24 years and two months, including the 14 months he has already spent in custody.

media_camera SA murder victim Lewis McPherson, centre, with best friends James Lamong (left) and Liam Trewartha (right). Picture: Facebook.

Justice David said Humbles had shown no contrition for the senseless murder and was still struggling to fully accept responsibility or recognise the catastrophic consequences of the shooting.

Humbles was grossly affected by alcohol and drugs and told his lawyers he had no memory of the shooting.

Justice David said that after shooting at Mr McPherson and his friends, Humbles also fired a shot at a passing car.

“This was an appalling, wanton crime. Disastrous as it was, it could have been even worse and three, perhaps four people could have been killed that evening,” he said.

media_camera Murderer Liam Humbles in a photo from his Facebook page.

“I found in my reasons for judgment that you intended to kill them all.”

Justice David ordered that Humbles, now aged 19, be transferred at his own request to an adult prison as soon as possible to complete his hefty sentence.

He further ordered the long-standing, statutory suppression order on Humbles’ identity be lifted, allowing The Advertiser to name the killer and show the police video of his arrest.

Humbles will be eligible for parole in March, 2037, when he will be 42 years old.

media_camera James Peter Lamont (left) and Liam John Trewartha (right) during the trial. Picture: Greg Higgs.

He was found guilty of murdering Mr McPherson and attempting to murder his best friends, James Lamont and Liam Trewartha.

He shot at the trio with a .22 calibre pistol on New Year’s Eve, 2012, in the suburb of Warradale as they were walking to a party.

Humbles — a drug-using, binge-drinking, cannabis-selling couch-surfer — had himself attended a different party that night, and was upset about an argument that had occurred there.

In harrowing testimony during the trial, Mr Lamont and Mr Trewatha recalled trying to keep their “best friend until the end” alive after the shooting.

media_camera The .22 calibre handgun used to murder Lewis McPherson. Source: Supreme Court.

They had to flee when the teen returned and stood over Mr McPherson, saying “if you don’t stop being dead, I’ll make you really dead”.

Mr Lamont later gave a passionate victim impact statement, telling the killer Mr McPherson had “never judged” him and believed he would “some day be good to this earth”.

Last week, The Advertiser exclusively revealed the man who allegedly provided Humbles with the murder weapon is facing firearms and drugs charges.

Outside court, Mr McPherson’s father Mark repeated his calls for mandatory jail terms for firearms offences.

media_camera Lewis McPherson’s mother, Kim McPherson. Picture: Greg Higgs.

“There is no place for guns in our society, and those who have them aren’t going to do any good with them,” he said.

“There should be mandatory sentencing — if you have a gun, you’re going to jail.”

He said he felt justice “had been done” even though no sentence “is ever enough” to compensate for the loss of a son.

“It’s certainly more than we expected,” he said.

media_camera Lewis McPherson’s father, Mark McPherson. Picture: Greg Higgs.

“I feel for her (the killer’s mother) but not for him ... I will never forgive him.

“His lack of contrition is disturbing and hurtful ... I just don’t know what goes on in his head.”

Mark McPherson said he was concerned that Humbles would emerge from the adult prison system as a more dangerous person.

“But what else do you do with him?” he asked.

“I hope that he does get the sort of programs and education he needs to come out as a productive member of society.”

He acknowledged Mr McPherson would likely wish the killer the best for his rehabilitation, but said he could not share that feeling.

“Lewis only hoped for good for everybody, that’s just the sort of person he was,” he said.

“He would probably be the first to say ‘I hope it works out for him (the killer)’.”

Mr McPherson’s mother, Kim, declined to comment outside court.

ANALYSIS — SEAN FEWSTER, CHIEF COURT REPORTER

LIFTING the suppression order on the name of a killer teenager is a rare occurrence.

Prior to this time, it had happened only three times in 18 years, unmasking Lyle Bascombe and Amanda Pemberton — who killed Tracy Muzyk in 1996 — and Hootan Beighzadeh, who executed Chris Wilson in 2004.

Supreme Court Justice Michael David’s decision to release Liam Patrick Humbles’ identity to the public is a bold one, designed to shine a spotlight on alcohol-fuelled violence.

Throughout sentencing submissions, Justice David — one of the state’s most senior and respected jurists — made it clear he found Humbles’ conduct appalling.

“He was a 17-year-old, almost 18-year-old, full of drugs and alcohol with a firearm and ammunition ... it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” he said last Thursday.

Justice David’s distaste for the cannabis-dealing, couch-surfing teenager’s attitude to guns resurfaced in his sentencing remarks.

“It was put to me that your reason for possessing a firearm was that you had it for protection against bullying — such a reason does not bear close scrutiny,” he said.

“The concept that a young person might think they have to carry a weapon with them for self-protection is appalling, frightening, and has no place in our society.”

State law holds that the identity of young offenders, including those given adult punishments for adult crimes, should remain suppressed to encourage their rehabilitation.

The thinking behind that law is a child criminal leaving jail with a clean slate is better able to assimilate into the community, find a job, learn new skills and become a productive person.

Humbles’ name has not been revealed to upset his clearly very necessary rehabilitation, nor to add to the punishment he will serve for his unconscionable crime.

Instead, the killer has been unmasked to serve as a warning to other youths — a symbol of the ultimate, unalterable consequences of drunken violence in our community.