Benjamin James Nunns is jailed for life after murdering Charles Compton at Warwick near Brisbane

A man who claimed he was delusional when he shot a man and woman as they sat in their car has been jailed for life.

Benjamin James Nunns was found guilty of the murder of Charles Compton, 38, following a two-week trial in the Queensland Supreme Court in Toowoomba.

The 34-year-old faced the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday for sentencing for what Judge Martin Burns called a “senseless act”.

“It had a serious and undoubtedly long-lasting impact on Ms Compton as she was sitting next to him in the passenger seat when you fired the fatal shot,” Judge Burns said.

Mr Compton and his wife Karen were leaving Nunns’ home in Warwick, southwest of Brisbane, in the early hours of April 5, 2020 when Nunns attacked Mr Compton with a metal pole.

Benjamin James Nunns was found guilty of the murder of Charles Compton (pictured) after a two-week trial in the Supreme Court of Queensland in Toowoomba

Mr Compton and his wife Karen were leaving Nunns’ home in Warwick, southwest of Brisbane, in the early hours of April 5, 2020 when Nunns attacked Mr Compton with a metal pole.

Nunns returned to his home to retrieve a rifle and fired at least one shot at the Comptons’ vehicle before closing in and firing a bullet through the windshield.

The second bullet struck Mr Compton in the neck, severing an artery and causing him to bleed to death.

Crown prosecutor Matthew LeGrand said Mrs Compton had suffered ongoing pain from the loss of her husband and it had also affected the lives of her family.

Judge Burns said the jury heard a significant amount of evidence about Nunns’ state of mind at the time of the murder, after he invited the couple to his home to consume methamphetamine.

“At one point, according to the woman’s account, (the couple left) to get fast food. Your evidence is that you interpreted what happened as an attempt to lure you from your home and kill you,” Judge Burns said.

He said the jury had considered evidence that Nunns may have been affected by schizophrenia or related disorders, possibly caused by drug use, but found that Nunns did not reasonably believe he was acting in self-defence.

The jury also found that Nunns had not diminished responsibility at the time and intended to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Compton.

Crown prosecutor Matthew LeGrand said Mrs Compton (pictured with Mr Compton) had suffered ongoing pain from the loss of her husband and it had also affected the lives of her family

‘There is only one punishment I can impose, as you know by now. On charge one of murder you will be convicted and serve life in prison,” Judge Burns said.

He imposed a non-parole period of 20 years with 1,529 days in custody declared as service.

Nunns did not visibly react to the verdict and spoke briefly to his lawyer before being taken back into custody.