Life sentence for Leeding's killer The police officer's mother wept in court on Tuesday as the man who shot her son in the head was handed a life sentence, with a minimum of 20 years without parole. Prosecutors had asked for a minimum non-parole period of 20 to 25 years for Abell. Justice Douglas said Abell's criminal history, his lack of remorse and his killing of a police officer in the line of duty warranted a longer than normal non-parole period. The court heard Abell had been jailed twice for two earlier armed robberies and was awaiting sentencing for an armed home invasion in 2010. Abell had shot a high-powered firearm through a wall when robbing a bank in the 1990s, Crown Prosecutor Todd Fuller told the court. He and a co-offender had terrified three people including a three-year-old in a 2010 home invasion in Carina, in Brisbane's south, using the same shotgun that killed Snr Const Leeding. Justice Douglas sentenced Abell to 18 years' prison for the Pacific Pines Tavern armed robbery and three years for deprivation of liberty, to be served concurrently with the murder sentence. He ordered the two-and-a-half years Abell has already served in custody be taken into account. McAvoy, 39, and getaway driver Benjamin Ernest Power, 39, are to be sentenced for their roles in the crime at a later date. Power has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Outside the court, the Leeding family thanked Justice Douglas for the sentence he imposed. "We are grateful to the judge and the courts for the lengthy sentence but obviously it's not going to bring Damian back," his mother said. Sisters Chantelle and Hayley said they would work to move on in their own way. Snr Const Leeding's widow Sonya, who was said to be too upset to attend the hearing, appreciated the sentence, police Assistant Commissioner Paul Wilson said. Mr Wilson said Sonya Leeding was with her father and two children. The widow's father Garry O'Brien had described the sentence was "awesome," Mr Wilson said. Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said Abell's sentence meant the detective's family and friends could start to rebuild their lives in earnest. "All Damian did on this day was turn up to work and he paid the ultimate sacrifice," he told reporters.