Man spent Christmas with girlfriend’s family – he said thanks by knifing her father to death
Garth Michael Reid was welcomed into his girlfriend’s Christmas Day festivities but when her family tried to stop him from driving drunk he stabbed her father.
A teenager has been charged after a man, 43, was shot in his driveway north of Brisbane. (Image - supplied)
Warren Toby’s family remember his last night alive as one spent having fun playing games, eating, drinking and generally feeling good about life.
They had affection and concern for Reid, now 35, who may have wanted to be alone as he sadly reflected on his brother’s death and his troubled family situation, Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Peter Callaghan said.
“But you did accept the goodwill of Warren Toby and his family, only to repay them by taking one life and changing forever the lives of others,” he told Reid in sentencing him on Tuesday.
The conflict at the North Ipswich home began when Mr Toby and other family members insisted Reid should not drive because of the alcohol he had consumed.
After taking Reid into their home out of concern for his emotional wellbeing, the family acted out of concern that he not get into trouble with the law, put himself at risk or be a danger to the community.
“Their motives were pure and reflected their feeling for you and their responsible attitude towards society,” Justice Callaghan added.
“There was no attempt to get you to stay for any reason other than that no one wanted you to drink-drive.”
During the conflict that followed Reid got a knife and inflicted at least two horrific wounds on the 55-year-old father, who was described as a quiet, unassuming and gentle man.
Justice Callaghan found Reid – who suffered no injuries – provoked any assault that came his way.
The court heard it was not the first time Reid had behaved in a “frightening and violent way”, having served time behind bars after being convicted in 2010 for another serious act of violence.
He had stayed out of trouble from November 2009 until the Christmas Day killing that followed a job loss and relationship breakdown in 2020.
“This offence had its genesis in your insistence that you should be allowed to break the law and endanger others safety by drink-driving,” Justice Callaghan told Reid.
“This was followed by your resentment when good people tried to stop you from doing so.”
He sentenced Reid, who has been in custody since the fatal attack, to 11 years behind bars.
Reid was found guilty of manslaughter last month after a nine-day trial in which a jury acquitted him of murder.
