Criminal’s softer side
A HARDENED criminal has sworn to change his ways, blaming himself for the death of a close friend.
In an extraordinary scene at Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday, Christopher Glenn Firth was sentenced for a methamphetamine-fuelled crime spree earlier this year.
He broke down as told the court he felt responsible for his friend’s death.
A CAREER criminal has delivered an emotional speech from inside Townsville prison, claiming the tragic death of a “good mate” has prompted him to change his ways.
Christopher Glenn Firth was on parole for robbery when he went on a methamphetamine-fuelled crime spree earlier this year.
After pleading guilty to 18 charges, including unlawful use of a motor vehicle and receiving tainted property, in Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday, Firth requested an opportunity to apologise to the community and the victims of his offending.
The hardened criminal, who has spent most of his adult life behind bars, broke down as he told Magistrate Howard Osborne that he held himself accountable for his friend Zachary Robertson’s death.
“Whilst there had been a warrant out for my arrest for approximately two to three weeks a good friend of mine Zach Robertson had been trying to encourage me to hand myself in and seek the help that I desperately needed for my depression and anxiety,” Firth said.
“In his attempts to do so he made his way out to see me at Woodstock where I was living to try and talk me into handing myself in.
“Tragically, on his way out to make his attempt to reason with me he lost his life in a head-on collision with a truck.”
Mr Robertson was tragically killed in a head-on crash on the Bruce Highway near Alligator Creek in February.
Firth told the court it was only after the crash that he checked phone messages from Mr Robertson which he claimed showed Mr Robertson was attempting to convince him to do the right thing and hand himself over to police.
Firth said he was thankful that police eventually caught him, admitting that after his friend’s passing he did not hand himself in but rather slipped into further substance abuse.
He said the last four months incarcerated had given him time to think about his life.
“I have decided that once I am released from prison to seek out help and find the tools I need to live a healthy and crime-free life, the life my friend Zach was trying to encourage me to pursue,” he said.
“The truth is I will live for the rest of my life knowing it was my actions that led my good friend Zach Robertson to his tragic death.”
Magistrate Howard Osborne said he accepted Firth had the desire to change his ways but he needed to put that into action.
“It seems drugs have become so overwhelming for you and the effect of the drugs has pushed you towards reoffending,” Mr Osborne said.
Mr Osbourne sentenced Firth to two years jail.
“That will be on top of (Firth’s) present sentence – which expires in October 2021 – the two years I imposed here will start after that,” he said.
Firth will be eligible for parole in August 2020.